Elerrina
by Elen-Silver Star
Summary: Raised by a woman in  a small village, she had never seen an elf other than herself. Yet, when she runs in the path of two identical elves and tragedy strikes once more, things start to change fast. She had never realized how little she knew about herself, and more so, why can she see the beautiful blue-stoned ring upon certain Elf-Lord's hand, whispering to her? ElladanXOC
1. Prologue

**Elerrina**

**Prologue**

The sun was hiding behind the mountains painting the sky bright red, its last rays fading leaving the earth to the darkness of the night. A great silence fell upon the lands as if the world itself lamented the tragedy that had taken place that day. The sky filled the bright red of blood, blood that spilled innocently. The soft breeze touched her skin drifting with it cries of pain and sorrow for those who had left the world to join the mourning souls in death.

It was cold. She could feel it, but it was a different kind of coldness: coldness of death. She looked at her surroundings feeling her heart to skip a beat as she walked slowly through the deep forest. Grey trees raised tall to the sky, the red light of the hiding sun making them look hollow in the dark shadows. Corpses laid spread on the ground; their eyes staring blankly at the sky, some of them still with the pained expression on they're faces. Both elves and orcs laid death on the floor. The still red blood spilled among them, elven and orc as one pool of bright liquid.

Naeraviel felt the sorrow in the atmosphere, the pain, the suffering. The air was heavy and she had a knob in her throat. How many had died innocently in that battle. How many lay dead on the ground, their souls already gone to the world of the dead. None of them would ever see the sun rising again in the horizon, nor see the stars shining at nights. She found it hard not to cry as she saw that not only warriors had been victims of the battle. There were ladies and children among them. Children. A tear rolled down her cheek as she saw the innocent faces of the children, she could see the fear in their empty eyes. there were no survivors. Not even one.

For what she could guess the elves had been attacked by the orcs while traveling somewhere. The battle had taken place just hours ago, the blood was still fresh.

The nearby village where she lived had heard of the battle and had come to aid the injured but found just the scene she was seeing now. They arrived too late, nobody still breathed. They had gone back to the village taking the news to the king but she had stayed a little longer.

Naeraviel had never seen elves before. She had always imagined the moment. She imagined herself looking at those majestic creatures full of grace. Elves were not meant to die. For her elves had always been a symbol of life and glory, they were immortal. But now, looking at them dead, all sing of life gone form them made her heart grieve.

A soft cry was brought by the wind. Naeraviel stopped to listen at the sound. It was unmistakably the cry of a baby. She noticed that the sound came form some bushes at her left. Quickly she made her way toward it. Behind them laid a baby wrapped in a white blanket. The baby stopped crying when she saw Naeraviel and waved her tiny fists at her.

Without thinking it twice she picked the baby in her arms. The tinny form of the little girl comforted her heart somehow. A tinny form of life among the dead.

She took a look at the child. It was elven. Her few golden locks shined at the fading light of the day and a pair of bright green eyes stared at her.

"have faith young one" she said. More to herself that he child for she doubted that the little girl could understand what she said. "you were blessed with life when others were forced to leave us forever. Although cursed for you lost everything you had today. Unfortunate child who was chosen to see what would cause her grieve and pain for the rest of her life."

She sat on the ground placing the child in her lap. "you'll be brave little one" the child looked at her. her saddened green eyes made her heart fill with sorrow. The elven child left out a cry of joy as she looked over her shoulder. Slowly and excitedly she started to move toward a dead body using her little legs and arms. The child reached the body and crawl into a ball against it.

"nana!" she said smiling. Naeraviel felt the knob in her throat tighten. The corpse was that of a fair elven maiden. Her golden locks, identical to the child's ones, fell lifelessly on the ground, her green eyes staring blankly at the sky: Dead.

"nana!" called the child again, waiting for her mother to hold her in her arms and comfort her form the awful things she had seen that day. The child didn't know death, she didn't know that her mother would never talk to her again, never again would she hold the child in her arms and comfort her. she had passed away.

"come here child" said Naeraviel picking up the child again and rocking her slightly.

"nana" said the child again. Tears formed in those green eyes. Maybe she didn't know her mother was dead but somehow she knew her mother was not coming back. Nana. The only word the child could say and the person that had been ripped from her.

"your mom is not coming back child" she said. Her voice braking and more tears running down her cheeks. "She left. She's not coming back"

The little girl raised her tinny hands to Naeraviel's face and slowly whipped away her tears. A small laugh left Naeraviel's lips at the gesture. How could this child love? How could she comfort the crying woman who hold her when was she who had lost her parents that day? How could she be strong and show hope to her when had been cursed with all those looses? She found she couldn't leave the baby there.

"you need a home" she said. "and a name" the green eyes stared at her again. Then she made a choice. She would not take the child to the orphanage. No. she would raise her as her own, sow her all the love her parents could have shown her if they had lived. Luckily she would forget the tragic events of that day and would be able to live happily and untroubled.

" what do you say about going home with me? I can find you something to eat and drink" the baby girl inclined her head to one side a confused looked in her eyes.

"nana?" se asked pointing at Naeraviel with one tinny finger. Se could help but smile at the child.

"yes, I will be your new nana"

"nana!" exclaimed the child happily. She hold her closer to her body. Night had already fallen; she saw the stars bright in the black sky, showing their light to the world.

"you need a name" she said to the child. At the stars light the green eyes of the girl shined with a beauty that could not be described by words. Her golden locks shined as fit the stars form the heavens had been placed on her head like a crown. How beautiful was the child, she had never seen something so graceful. The it occurred to her, the perfect name for the blessed child.

"you'll be Elerrina. 'crowned with stars'"

Sooo…what do you think? Should I continue?

Please review!!!!!!

Love

Elena


	2. A strange meeting

She pulled her golden hair back from her face as she walked. The sun was hiding in the horizon and the wind whispered softly in her ears a melody like no other. She had been waiting for the sunset to come. Every sunset she would wonder in the woods, away from her home, from her troubles, form everything.

Nobody ever understood why she kept walked in the forest every sunset. For them it was just to walk among tall trees, but she was not like them. She had never been like them. It had been hard to her to be the different one, she was an elf, and they were humans. After a couple of years they had gotten used to her and she had been raised the way a human child would be raised. She was one of them now. They often tell her that the only difference between her and any other human was her pointed ears. But she knew it was not.

Here she could enjoy the gifts of being and elf, the reason why she was different. Here she could hear the trees whispering and singing things they would never hear, she could talk to them, laugh with them. She could hear the melancholic song of the river as its waters were drawn away with the current. She could see the life of what they thought lifeless. But something was different this evening, she could feel it.

Everything was unnaturally quiet and still. The wind was no longer blowing and the calming song of the trees had stopped. They talked about something else, they talked about danger. She stopped to listen and found that she had not heard wrong. Danger was near, and coming nearer and nearer. Without thinking it twice she started to run. Her light footsteps barely leaving a track line behind her. She ran like taken by the nonexistent wind, light and quick.

"MOVE!" she heard a voice yell at her.

Then something big appeared in front of her and she felt backwards a scream leaving her lips. A white horse stood in its back legs and waved the front one in the air just above her head. She closed her eyes shut and she heard the man on the horse trying to calm the frightened animal. He had been forced to stop abruptly so he wouldn't kill her.

"what were you doing! Are you okay?" she opened her mouth to answer but the dark-haired man didn't wait fro an answer for he was already walking back to the horse and in a quick movement he got on it, his long cloak swinging behind him. He seemed to be in a hurry. She stood up from where she had fallen. She was about to tell him of the danger but at that moment an arrow flew past one of his ears missing it by inches.

The sound of heavy metal boots could be heard form their surroundings as yet another arrow flew past them this time close to her face. She couldn't move, it was like if her legs had been glued to the ground. More arrows started to blow and nasty creatures started to appear from behind the trees holding swords and bows. Then everything happened so fast. The man drew out his sword and she felt herself being lifted from her feet and into the horse. She turned her head to see it as the man who had lifted her and they were moving and fast.

The trees flew past them and she had to duck sometimes to avoid some branches. The creatures were behind them, and more started to appear next to them more and more coming from their hiding spots behind the trees. The man behind her swung his sword and a head of one of the creatures flew trough the air. He swung it again and again killing as many as he could, but they were too many. They were everywhere, and they were closing around them until she was able to read what they were trying to do. But

to her surprise he had already found out.

"Hold tight" he whispered in one of her ears and the next second the horse jumped to one side knocking many creatures in the move as they ran now away from the road and into the depths of the forest. She could hear them trying to follow but there was no road and they were faster. Some low branches hit her face and she could not see where were they going for the trees where too close one from another and there was barely a way to run among them. They ran until she could no longer hear anything behind them and she knew they had lost them, but she also was unable to see where they were. After a few more long minutes the man finally stopped the horse. They were still in the forest but the trees were no so close one from another.

"We lost them" he said jumping from the horse gracefully and offering her a hand. She took it and with his help got off the horse. –"they were too many, and they were heading west. I don't know what are they planning or who sent them. They're not usually like this" his long dark hair fell down his back and she could see he had grey eyes.

"Take…me…home" she managed to say for she was still shocked from what had just happened. She only knew that she had almost got killed and now she was in the middle of the forest with a total stranger who looked like no other man she had ever seen.

"And get in their way again, I don't think so. It's better if we stay here for the night, it won't kill you" he talked to her but he was not looking at her. He was walking and ducking sometimes to pick something from the floor and she could feel the rage forming inside her at his words.

"you took me here without even asking, I don't know who you are nor I know where am I so now take me home!" her angry green eyes met his as her turned his head over his shoulder once again ducking to pick another wooden stick. He had picked at least enough fallen branches and stick to make a house she thought.

"First of all not knowing who I am is not an excuse, for that can be taken care off easily. I'm Elladan, if this calms you somehow to know. And second if you're so angry because I saved your life maybe I should have left you there with the orcs to see how you manage." She opened her mouth to strike back at him but did not find the words. She knew she would have died if it hadn't been for him but she would not let him know that. She crossed her arms before her chest and changed the subject. If they were going to spend the night here alone they must not be enemies didn't mattered how much she hated him already.

"What are you doing?" she asked the Elladan who had once again started his funny task of picking up wood. " a fire unless you want to freeze up" he answered as he stoop up and walked toward her "here" he said handing her some of the wood "put them there" he pointed a spot in the ground. Giving him a deathly gaze she walked toward the spot he had pointed and threw the wood there.

Half an hour later they had a fire made and they sat next to it. Neither one was talking even looking at the other.

"I'm hungry" she said. He looked at her before answering.

"Then go and find some food"

"You should do that!"

"I don't see why, I'm not the one hungry"

"Ugh! I hate you!" silence fell again and they could just hear the cracking of the fire for other long minutes.

"Aren't you going to tell me your name?" he asked her.

"Why should I?"

"I told you mine"

"You did it freely, I didn't force you to"

"And I'm not forcing you to"

"Then I choose not to tell you"

"I didn't want to know your name anyway" he muttered

"How childish!"

"So now I'm the child! And who was the one saying I'm hungry feed me!"

"Hey! I didn't say feed me! You made that up and by the way if someone had to go and get some food it should be you! Ladies are not supposed to hunt men are the ones-"

"Then let the men do it but the problem is I don't see any man here to find you food!"

"And what are you! A horse!" he laughed at her comment and she couldn't help but turning red. Anger building up in her and she felt she could explode at any moment. He was laughing at her.

"No, I'm no horse but if you haven't noticed I'm an elf just like you cry baby!" her eyes opened wide with surprise. An elf! Did she hear right? She had never seen an elf before, just herself. But then something was wrong. She had never imagined an elf could be like…like…_him._

"You have no right to call me that way!"

"Then what should I call you if you refuse to tell me your name?"

"Fine! I'm Elerrina, happy? Anyways like I was saying you-"

"Oh leave it would you? I'm trying to get some sleep" she shot at him another fierce gaze before adding "you were the one who brought me with you" he looked up to the sky. This was going to be a long night.

---------------

Here's the first chapter.

Sorry guys if I took too long…..I was kind of stuck in this chapter but I'll try to update sooner next time.

Anyways thanks so much for my reviewers!

Elena


	3. power in a stare

Voices came to her from somewhere but they were nothing more than a barely audible whisper in the ck of her head

Voices came to her from somewhere but they were nothing more than a barely audible whisper in the ck of her head. She could hear them murmuring quickly and low and was able to catch some of the words as she started to fall into reality, leaving behind yet another night and starting a new day.

"…what have you done?" she didn't know that voice. It did not sound familiar. Her eyelids felt heavy and she made no effort in opening them. She just wanted to hear the conversation she was not supposed to hear.

She caught another voice answering but it was too low for her to catch the words. They sounded angry…and argument though she didn't know about what. Who were this people and what were they doing in her bedroom? Did her mother know them? She must have been the one who let them in, nobody else lived in the house.

Fear started to rise inside of her as she realized she was not laying on her bed at home. She was laying on the cold hard ground. Where was she?

The strangers kept their little argument ignoring the fact that she was awake now, and she preferred it that way. She didn't want them to know she was conscious again, not when she had no idea who they were or what was their intention.

"…she'll cause us more trouble…"

"…maybe…. Don't know what…" the voices where so low she was just able to catch parts of the argument, they made no sense. She knew she was missing a lot of the shared thoughts.

"but I say….." she lost track of the conversation again "as we should Elladan"

The name hit her like a wall of brick. She remembered last night, though she had been sure it had been just a dream. No. If he had been in it, it was definitely a nightmare. She quickly opened her eyes and sat up.

She felt her heart jump at what she saw. Not one but tow Elladans were looking down at her from where they were. Apparently they were the ones that had been arguing from the looks on their faces. She screamed as hard as her lungs would aloud her to. Tow Elladans! This had to be a nightmare! The most terrifying nightmare of her life.

"What are you doing! Stop screaming!" yelled one of the tow identical figures, the one that was sitting on a huge rock. He had the same waist-long dark hair and deep gray eyes but his voice she did not recognize.

In a quick movement a hand was pressed to her mouth from behind her. She struggled trying to get free of the strong hold. Oh how much she hated him!

"Stop it Elerrina!" hissed Elladan to her ear with his hand still pressed to her mouth. "the whole forest know now where we are"

She shuddered at the hidden authority in his voice and it filled her body with rage the fact that she stopped screaming the moment he had talked. It hadn't been her intention to obey; in fact she would NEVER obey HIM! But the power in his tone was so strong she doubted there was any living form that could escape the command.

Still she would not let him win so easily. She opened her mouth and bit his hand with all the strength she could muster. In matter of seconds he removed his hand.

"Ah! What's wrong with you!" he glared at her while rubbing his now bitten hand. "are you an animal?" his gray eyes found hers and she felt herself trapped in the depth of them, falling into his angry stare, unable to break apart to look somewhere else. She felt her shame, the urge to ask forgiveness and again that heavy power he carried around him, with his eyes, his voice, his only presence.

He was the one who looked away first, and once a gain she felt free, she was her own again, able to think, able to act the way she liked, able to hate him more now. How did he do that?! How did he control her being just with looking at her?!

"Take. Me. Home" she demanded, this time careful not to look at his eyes directly, she didn't want to feel his power again. Instead she stared at his copy, the strange elf she didn't know and had no interest in knowing, but she stared at him curiously just as an excuse to why she was not looking at _him_. She didn't want _him _to know the effect his strong gaze caused on her. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

"Gladly. See, one night here didn't kill you, did it?" he said. Her eyes widened in surprise. All the authority and highness in his voice was gone, he was just the elf she had met yesterday… the most stupid, hated, annoying, stubborn elf. But she didn't dare to try to look at him, she wouldn't risk that.

"guess not." It was just a faint whisper but she knew he caught it because a mocking smile formed on his lips.

"very well" he said. The started walking deeper into the forest until she lost sigh of him among the tall trees.

"where's he going?!" she thought aloud. Ugh!

"don't worry, he'll come back" said the other elf whose presence she had momentarily forgotten. He seemed much nicer than Elladan, but then again who didn't seem nicer than him? She watched him as he untied two horses from a nearby tree. He recognize the dark one, that was Elladan's, so the white one must be the stranger's.

She watched him walk peacefully back to where she stood and hold out one hand to her.

"I'm Elrohir, sorry for my brother's behaviour last night" she stared at his putstretched hand for a second then shaked it slowly. She decided him to give him a chance, it was not his fault his brother was so stupid.

"I'm Elerrina" she said. "and you didn't sound very approving of me being here moments ago" she added. True he seemed nice but she remembered what he had said.

"True. I didn't approve it, but I would have done the same if I where in his place. And I was afraid the orcs would find us if you were not careful enough but since the whole middle earth knows where we are now I have no choice. Still you're not that bad" she said with a smile. She returned the smile. At least he was being honest with her, he seemed trustworthy.

She heard Ellandan's light footsteps coming toward them again. Without a word he threw something at her and instinctively she caught it in her hands. It was an apple.

"there you go" he said and then turned around and jumped onto his horse ever so gracefully. She saw Elrohir do the same from the corner of her eyes.

"thanks" she said. Her expression was not friendly at all but she had been taught to thank.

Elrohir offered her his hand and she took it climbing onto his horse in front of him. She had some trouble with her balance on the process, she had never ridden a horse before, last night didn't count.

"not much an and elf are you" he mocked followed by a short laugh. She couldn't help but laughing along. If he knew she cold hardly be called and elf…..she was more human. But they would find out very soon so she didn't waste time on explanations. She took a quick glance on Elladan's direction and immediately looked down at her hands.

His deep gray eyes were fixed on her….staring


	4. Brought with the wind

The ride back to the village was taking longer than Elerrina had expected. It seemed that with the adrenaline and fear caused by the sudden ambush, she had not noticed how deep into the forest they had gone. I took them a couple of hours to find the main trail again.

The forest looked so different during the day when the soft rays of the sun caressed the leaves of the swaying trees. The forest was dense and the light entered as bright rays wherever there was a little opening between the leaves. I was almost possible to trace the soft lines they made as they pierced through the tree canopy, dancing and twirling to find new openings between the leaves as the trees swayed with the wind. A perfect waltz among leaves and light softly choreographed to the melody of the breeze.

They rode in silence for the most part. She was sitting in front of Elrohir. She could feel his warm breath right above her right temple, as well as the calming aura that emanated form his presence.

Elladan rode in front of them. In her bored state, she studied the elf in front of her. All she could see of him now was his long dark hair and his flowing blue cloak. _ Great, _ she thought, _even his cloak is graceful. _Suddenly he turned his head around to look at her, as if he had just heard her thoughts. She dared to catch his eyes, and found the same pair of deep grey eyes she had seen when she had met him. His eyes had become silent once again, and betrayed no emotion.

She quickly turned around to gaze into Elrohir's eyes. Only for a second she caught him staring at his twin brother deep in thought, although a fraction of second later he was looking down at her. She had caught the quick exchange of stares between the twins, but decided that it was best to ignore it, she would ask about it later.

Elrohir's eyes were deep and warm, the kindest shade of liquid grey, and she felt that she could see his very soul reflected in his gaze. His eyes were exactly the same of his brother's, and yet they were so different.

"Can you read minds?" She regretted the question as soon as she had asked it. She could hear Elladan's quiet chuckles and could perfectly picture his grin mocking her. Fighting her urge to turn around again and yell at Elladan she focused on staring at Elrohir.

He too had laughed with the question, but instead of trying to suppress his amusement, he had freely let out a musical laugh.

"Yes, we can" he told her. His eyes still fixed on her, but she couldn't see if he was telling the truth or simply playing with her.

"What am I thinking then?" she tested him.

"You were just marveling at how gracefully my brother rides, and also bout how much you dislike his very presence, which I still fail to comprehend why. Also there is nothing you would want most than to be back home and forget this meeting ever happened, although, I dare to add that it will not be possible because, as I understand, you had never seen an elf before…besides yourself of course." He was now grinning widely at her shocked expression. "Did I miss something?"

She felt herself blushing of embarrassment. She opened her mouth but closed it again; she didn't really have anything to say. Instead she lowered her dark green eyes to stare at her lap and nervously started toying with one strand of her golden hair.

"We cannot read minds" Called Elladan without turning around to look at her. Behind her Elrohir exploded in laughter. She raised her eyebrows in a questioning look and turned to face the laughing twin.

"Now I am starting to dislike you also" She said. He raised one eyebrow at her, still smiling. "Fine, I still like you" she added.

"You are simply too easy to read" Added Elladan, this time looking back at her, the smile on his face giving a mischievous gleam to his eyes. "Besides, you have been staring at us the whole morning" With that he turned again to look to the front, gracefully ducking under a low branch.

"And I still hate you" She muttered low to herself.

"You made that very clear yesterday" He answered. "Although, I find you very interesting. What is an elven lady doing so far from elven lands? And, what confuses me most is how is it that you have never seen one of our kind before?"

"I do not wish to discuss my past with strangers" Truth was, she didn't know the answer to those questions. She had never thought about it.

"I thought you could not hate someone you do not know"

"I only know your name"

"And I only know yours"

"Then, you do not know me. We are strangers" She heard him sigh and turn to face to the front, away from her.

"How should I know you If you do not let me try?"

Suddenly Elrohir stopped the horse with a swift move, and froze. She saw Elladan do the same a fraction of second after. She did not need to ask to know why they had stopped for she had felt it also. A cold shiver ran down her spine, and she felt the repulsive smell of blood and ashes. The air had become heavy to breathe and the forest had become deathly silent; even the wind had stopped flowing. Even the sound of the river a couple of feet in front of them was empty and lacked its usual melancholic singing. Danger was not approaching. No. Danger had already passed, and they were merely encountering what it left in its path.

Elrohir dismounted in a quick move. The light noise made by his feet as they touched the ground echoed in the trees. She saw him crouch to the ground and carefully trace something on the grass with the tips of his fingers. Then he took a step forward and traced the same shape on another spot on the grass. Then she understood what he was doing. She could see not only the two shapes the twin had traced but one, two, three…a thousand more equal to that one. They were footsteps, heavy footsteps marked on the dying grass.

"Orcs" Elladan's voice broke her out of her shocked state. She now noticed that the other twin had also dismounted and was frozen on his spot, eyes widely searching all around them. Elrohir was still crouching on the grass, also watching and listening. Elerrina did not dare to breathe as to not distract their concentration.

A cold breeze swept past them, tangling her hair all around her face. Dust made her close her eyes shut, and to her horror she heard cries being carried by the wind. The echo of a thousand cries of fear and despair echoed in her ears, and in the trunks of the trees multiplying in noise and number and bouncing on every branch and leaf of the forest. Then, as soon as they had hit her ears, they vanished as the wind stopped once more. She opened her eyes and shook the dust out of her hair and face, but froze when she touched it. It was not dust, it was…

"Ashes" confirmed Elrohir as he rose from the ground. He was examining the ashes on his had as his twin brother shook hair and cloak.

Elerrina could no longer sit on the horse not knowing what was happening. She quickly jumped of the horse, landing as gracefully as the twins had done a couple of minutes before. She slowly approached Elladan, who was only a couple of feet ahead of Elrohir and the horse she had been sitting on. He gave her a concerned look, his eyes alert and worried, then turned his gaze to keep scrutinizing the forest, still remaining frozen on his spot.

She dared to take some steps ahead of Elladan, in the direction of the river. The cold deathly breeze had come from that direction, so whatever those cries were, and whatever had happened, had happened in that direction as well. She knew the twins already knew this for they were both looking at the river also, eyes searching every rock, branch and leaf.

She stared at the empty water. The hush of the river was silent and monotone. She had heard this very river sing to her many songs before, its water dancing on its way down, but now it resembled a monotone march down the stream. It was as if the river was dead.

Then in front of her she saw something that would not leave her mind for the rest of her existence. She gasped at the sight in front of her. There, floating carried by the death water was a body. Face down, arms and legs half floating half sinking in the mirror of the river. The tail of a black arrow stuck in its back. Before she could react to the sight in front of her, another body floated down to join the first one. Then another, and another. Hundreds of bodies floated down the once alive river, dying the once pure waters in a bloody read. Some faces looking down so she could only see their hair. Other looking up, eyes like blank glass looking to the sky. Men, women, children, all sorts of bodies. A cry escaped her lips as she recognized some faces: The baker and his wife, along with their four year old son; some women that worked with her mother; the three young brothers that lived next to her…

A hand was quickly pressed to her eyes form behind, closing hem shut form the deathly sight. A second one wrapped in front of her around her waist and a body was pressed against her, and the next thing she knew she was being lifted into a horse again with a quick move, the body still pressed against her. She heard the one holding her say something in a language she did not understand. I was Elladan's voice. Still she did not dare to open her eyes, and as soon as she had been lifted into the horse she felt that they had started to run. She could hear Elrohir's reply in the same strange language behind her as he also mounted and ran along with them, but she did not dare to open her eyes. Instead she buried her face in Elladan's shoulder, fingers gripping tightly his light blue cloak.

Its been a long time since I last updated this story

Let me know what you think!

Love

Elen


	5. Lost

The wind slapped her face wildly, hard and cold against her soft skin. The longer they ran the heavier and harsher the wind became. Even with her eyelids still shut hard over her dark green eyes, she could see the hollow stares of the corpses as they were slowly washed away by the current. They came in fast flashes inundating her mind: glassy blue eyes staring blankly at the sky; mouths still open with the ghost of a last shout; black arrows sticking out of shoulders, backs, heads; and water slowly turning a poisonous bright red.

The wind rang in her ears like a thousand shouts, batting her golden hairs forcefully against her face, neck and shoulders. The sound of the horses as they ran over the ground seemed to have been multiplied infinitely, mixing with the shouting wind and dark images inside her mind. Her heart pounded so hard that she felt she could almost hear it trying to jump in despair out of her chest, and even her blood felt cold and icy running through her veins. She felt choking, cut out of pure air to breathe. Elladan's fast breaths brushed the right side of her face as she felt him inclining forward to ride faster, his arms to either side of her gripping the reins of the horse.

Drawing agitated breaths, Elerrina opened her eyes in a failed attempt to liberate herself from the images crossing her previously shut eyelids. She heard another quick interaction of words between the twins in the language she did not know, but assumed, had to be elvish.

Everything was happening so fast. The forest flied past her as her body jumped up and down on the horse. Her thoughts were lost in a labyrinth of dead faces, but the faces were not only floating on the now red river, they were also laying on the ground, covered in blood and dirt. Distorted images of faces she knew and faces she did not recognize all mixed together between land and water inside her mind. The baker's son face staring at the sky and then a flash of a pair of mysterious blank green eyes also staring dead at the sky. Flashes of tall elegantly dressed bodies spread on the ground followed by flashes of floating human bodies. Screams, clashes of metal hitting metal, golden hair, a body floating face down, the three brothers faces, and the blank green eyes again…

She felt the horse slow down into a slow walk before completely stopping. From the corner of her eye she caught Elrohir stopping next to them. Diverting her gaze to what laid ahead of her she saw what she had been dreading.

The once green and joyous clearing that was her village was no more than mere memories. The landscape in front of her was barely recognizable anymore. The ground was covered in what remained of the once cozy houses. Bodies laid spread carelessly on the ground, none of them breathing anymore. All that met their eyes were ruins and ashes.

A tight knot started to build inside her throat. She jumped from the horse, almost falling to the ground as the hard ground met her weak, shaky legs, and, without looking back, started to run towards her house.

The smoke rising from the burnt buildings made it harder for her to breathe. It embraced her like ghostly arms, caressing her skin as if wanting to take her down to join the rest of the departed souls. It got into her eyes making tears fall out of her green orbs. Or were the tears out of fear for what she might find at home? She did not know, and was not sure if she wanted to find out.

Breath was cut out of her. The knot in her throat tightened and a desperate cry was lost before it left her mouth. What used to be her house were now only ruins.

Smoke still came out of the windows and through the crack on the wooden door that now fell awkwardly against the entrance, blocking her access to the insides.

Without thinking it twice, she pushed the wooden door hardly and managed to move it slightly. The opening between the fallen door and the thick masonry wall was now only wide enough for her to squeeze in.

Her thoughts were only focused on her mother. Had she gotten out? Had she been able to run away? She felt a flash of pain on her right arms as a stone from the wall cut her skin while she entered the house.

It was hard to see inside. Smoke and ashes were everywhere, and she tripped twice on fallen chairs and pieces of windows. Her eyes searched frantically around her, hoping to find the form of the dark haired woman somewhere.

"Mother!" she called. Her voice betrayed her fright.

"Mother!" No answer.

She moved around, her heart drumming against her chest, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. Moving into the small kitchen she noticed a pile of fallen stone next to the broken wood table. But there was something among the stones, something dark, something that resembled….

She gasped as she threw herself on the ground next to the stones, her dress covering in ashes and her knees cutting with pieces of wood. Her fears had come true. The dark thing among the rocks was nothing else than strands of hair.

Elerrina felt her world collapse as she saw the image that hunted her dreams right in front of her. Naeraviel laid motionless on the ground, the bottom part of her body trapped in stones.

Her eyes were closed as if peacefully sleeping. But this was a dream from she would never wake up again. Sobs wracked her body and tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks, tasting bitterly and salty as they reached her mouth and landed on her lap. Raising a shaky hand she lovingly stroked the ash covered graying dark strands. She had buried her face so many times in those locks; they had made her feel protected and secure from her childhood nightmares.

Then, she softly cleaned Naeraviel's face from the dirt and ashes as best as she could. Her fingers searching for the woman that she had loved as her own mother, even though she well knew was not her birth mother.

With a shaky index finger, she slowly traced the woman's soft lips, looking for the smile that had come to permanently reside in them, but was now robbed from the body, departed with her soul. She wished for those lips to call her name once more. To ask her how her day had gone, as she did every night when she got back home. To recognize her presence here, right next to her.

"I'm here, Mother" her voice came out cracked and barely audible, although she well knew that her mother's ears could not hear her anymore. " I went to the river again." She stopped to get a breath. "It was a beautiful sunset, like always. You know, Robbie made me eat a whole piece of his cheese pie yesterday." A broken laugh escaped her mouth as she remembered how many times her mother had laughed when she complained about the terrible pie.

"I had to come up with an excuse to not eat it all. Then I had such a strange day after that, I met elves. Can you believe that?" she stopped, waiting for an answer that would not come.

She opened her mouth to continue her tale but the only sounds that came out were uncontrollable sobs. "I….I…a-a-am…s-sorry" she said between sobs, gripping her mother only free hand into her own. " I should have been here. I should have never left for a walk yesterday" She knew that there was no way she could have known this would happen. She knew it was not her fault, but she could not help feeling guilty. She also knew that if she had stayed, she would be dead now.

She heard the door being moved and paces moving confused inside the house, approaching the spot where she knelt. The twins had followed her. She did not look back, gripping her mother's hand tighter. She did not want to let go.

"Elerrina?" came Elrohir's soft voice. Nearly a whisper.

She did not answer. She could not answer. The life she knew was now gone, and she scared to faced what awaited her.

Sooo here's another chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think of it, and you think I should add or come next! Suggestions are always welcome!

Next chapter is coming soon!

Love,

Elen


	6. Last Rays of Sunlight

"Elerrina?" came Elrohir's voice. Nearly a whisper.

She heard him slowly, but determinately, walk towards her at her lack of response. He knelt by her side and softly took one of her arms and pulled her up next to him. She let go of her mother's hand and slowly let herself be pulled to a standing position. Elrohir's hand was still firm around her left arm, and his other resting lightly over her right shoulder.

She did not have to explain for she saw comprehension reflected on his silver eyes as he diverted his gaze from her to the limp body on the ground. His eyes also showed sorrow and pain, and something that seemed like pity.

"We need to go" He broke the silence. She turned her head to find that Elladan had remained in the doorway, stating at his twin brother.

Again, she did not answer. She could not find her voice, could not think. It felt as if her whole body had been shut down.

"No" she said finally. Her eyes were still lost, focused on the emptiness. Her voice was a barely audible sound, only audible to elven ears.

"I dare not stay here any longer" he said. He lifted her chin with a hand, forcing her green eyes to meet his grey ones. His eyes were serious, commanding. "The trees make me anxious. I know you can also feel it. It is not safe here."

He paused for a moment to let the words sink into her. Once again she stayed mute, eyes fixed into his commanding gaze.

"This was not an accident. It was planned." She knew this was true the moment they had arrived at the ruined village, but the serious look in his eyes only confirmed the truth of the statement. "Very well planned" He added.

She broke the stare and looked at the floor, as her body woke up from its shocked, dead state. Tears started to run down her cheeks once again and her body shook slightly. She felt Elrohir direct her towards the door, but she did not complain.

Her emotions were so strong and confusing to her. She felt a mixture of stabbing pain, sorrow, anguish, despair and anger. She did not even notice as the dark haired elf helped her through the opening at the entrance and led into the fading sunlight, where his twin awaited.

When her eyes met the still figure of Elladan, all of her pain and confusion were overpowered by the strongest feeling of rage she had ever felt.

"YOU!" She stormed fast in his direction, forcefully breaking free form Elrohir's gentle grip. The elf in question turned his faced quickly in her direction, clearly taken by surprise at her sudden outburst.

"YOU!" she yelled again as she reached the place were he stood, throwing hers arms at him, hitting him as hard as she could. One night. It had only required this elf to take her for one night and she had missed the chance to say goodbye to her mother.

"I SHOULD" hit "HAVE BEEN" hit "HERE!" she hit him hard. Again and again, all over his chest, shoulders and wherever she could reach. "YOU SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT ME BACK" her face was covered in tears as she forced her arms to keep hitting. She wanted to hurt him, to make him feel what she felt.

To her surprise he did not move. He did not even raise one had to shield his body and face from her strong punches. He stood there, unmoving and silent, allowing her to freely hit him.

"I COULD HAVE HELPED HER ESCAPE!" she continued with her hysteric punches, her hands growing weak. Deep inside she knew she could not have helped her mother. Her hands refused to obey her anymore, her slaps and hits barely hurting now, only touching him as she tried to hurt him. At last she stopped and broke.

Realization finally hit her. Her mother was dead, and there was nothing she could do or could have done about it. Bringing her hands to her head she cried again. She knew that Elladan had predicted that she would eventually brake down; hence he had allowed her to take her anger against him. That made her angrier if that was possible, but they both knew that what had happened was nobody's fault, even though she tried to convince herself that it was his fault.

The sun was hiding in the sky, it would soon be dark and they were still standing in the chaos of the destroyed village.

"It's getting dark" She heard Elrohir. He had walked towards them when he saw her stop her hysteric fists from hitting Elladan.

Elerrina knew that Elladan already knew what she had seen inside her house. They must share that funny thing between twins that allowed them to speak through their minds. Although she dreaded that, she was glad that she did not need to explain anything to anybody.

Letting out a calming sight, she looked up. Elrohir nodded and started to walk towards the forest's edge, where the two horses were waiting for them.

Elladan extended a hand towards her shoulders to guide her.

"Don't" she snapped as she slapped his hand away. Her eyes coldly threw daggers into his grey eyes.

He pulled his hand back and nodded his head. Then, without a single word, he turned around and walked away towards the horses. He did not look back at her, not even to check if she had moved.

Glaring at his back, Elerrina sighed. She knew she needed to start moving. Elrohir was still looking at her expectantly.

Darkness swallowed the land as she clumsily climbed to the front of Elrohir. The horses galloped at a steady, fast pace as everything she had once known died along with the last ray of daylight. She did not know how long she remained with her gaze lost among the passing trees, but without knowing she felt herself lean tiredly against Elrohir, her eyes glazing in an exhausted sleep.

As the stars illuminated the sky, the reflection of their pure light fell against her golden hair, shining as a crown of light atop her head. The Valar must have really blessed her…..or cursed her. Twice now she had been the only soul left breathing in the midst of a brutal massacre.

Here is chapet 6. I hope you enjoy reading it! Comments are welcome! Please review!

Love,

Elena


	7. New Sunrise

The Sun was already high in the sky when Elerrina awoke from her deep sleep. She noticed that she was lying on the hard ground in the middle of the forest. Slowly sitting up she also noticed the twins discussing something only a couple of feet away from her.

They must have heard her move because two identical faces suddenly turned quickly in her direction.

"And she is alive!" Said one of them.

She still had trouble identifying which twin was which. She noticed the green cloak around his shoulders and was able to identify the elf as Elrohir. Elladan, wearing a light blue cloak, laughed at his twin's exaggerated statement.

She gave him a deadly glare before standing up and making her way towards them. They both also stood from their spot on the grass, their mischievous grins slowly disappearing from their faces to be replaced by a solemn expression. She felt two pairs of silver eyes slowly studying her, trying to anticipate what her reaction would be, almost debating whether if she would break down in tears or throw angry fists again.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Elladan. He looked careless, a soft smile on his lips. She had not expected him to talk to her after all the hits she had thrown at him the night before. Yet he acted as if nothing had happened.

"Go where?"

"Imladris" They said together.

She had heard of the elven sanctuary, protected by a powerful elf-Lord, in many children stories before. She remembered playing around the yards with the other children, pretending to be respected elven warriors and princesses, her imagination transforming the old rustic small houses into an elven paradise.

"With elves?" she asked. Two identical pairs of grey eyes looked at her puzzled, both with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes" said Elrohir. "You are an elf" he reminded her.

He had already mounted on the back of his horse, and she saw his mirror image do the same seconds later.

"Unless of course you rather stay here" Said Elladan, who was now sitting straight on the back of his horse.

She did not want to agree to go with the twins, but she certainly did not want to be left in the middle of the forest. She also knew that the village that used to be her home was no longer there, so in truth she had nowhere else to go.

The dark haired elf seemed to notice her reluctance to agree with them, but also knew the reality of the situation and the fact that she would have to agree.

A victorious look gleamed in his eyes as he extended a hand to her.

She stood as tall and proud as she could and threw Elladan another glare before accepting his extended hand. He pulled her up in front of him, chuckling softly at his victory.

It seemed that the twins were taking turns in carrying her, she thought as they started to ride slowly through the peaceful forest.

She crossed her arms tightly and stared angrily at the front. She heard Elladan quiet down and lean forward closer to her, his head coming next to the right side of hers, a little taller than her.

"There is nothing left for you here" He whispered softly. His tone left all the humor and carefreeness it always carried. He spoke the truth she had been trying to ignore and left no space for arguments this time. His eyes looked at her with a sympathetic look, as if he could share what she felt.

"You cannot make time go back. Your place now it with your kind, you belong among us. You do not belong to the mortal world, they cannot escape death." She did not say anything, and he leaned back again, sitting straight behind her once more.

"I am sorry for your loss" He added in a low voice.

"Like you would know how it feels" She snapped as she turned her head back to face him, her eyes glaring with the venom in her tone.

With the corner of her eye she saw Elrohir tense and look down, suddenly interested in his lap. Elladan kept his gaze fixed on her, deep and welcoming, and she thought she could see only for a split second a flash of sadness cross his stare.

"I've heard it's hard" he said, still looking deeply into her eyes. Elrohir was still looking down, his body tensed.

She turned her face back to the front, giving her back to the dark haired elf. A long silent moment passed before any of them spoke.

"This is definitely not how a walk should have gone" She muttered, crossing her arms over her chest once again.

She could almost hear a grin creeping to Elladan's lips as he answered her.

"Well this is also not how a hunting trip should have gone. And now we are two days behind our expected arrival back to Imladris. We are never late" His tone had changed once again to his usual mischievous one. She already had the impression that those two must be the definition of trouble.

"Actually I can think of a couple times we were indeed late" Said Elrohir as he looked up, the look in his eyes mirroring the one of his twin's. "And if I remember well one of them involves you, dear brother, getting lost. Glorfindel spent two days looking for you and Adar nearly had his head"

Elladan's face turned a bright shade of red with embarrassment at the memory.

"We were elflings!" he said in his defense.

"Were not!"

"Oh please _do_ tell the story" said Elerrina, a real smile becoming to life on her lips for the first time in two days. Perhaps Elladan was right. Perhaps it was time for her to become part of her own kind.

A lot of forgotten questions from her childhood returned to her head at that thought. Who was she really? How had she come to be Naeraviel's adoptive daughter? Did she have an elven family somewhere?...This was going to be and interesting journey.

I hope you enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think!

Love

Elena


	8. Let it Burn

_She was standing in the peaceful river, the crystalline water reaching her waist. The forest sang all around her, and she could see birds of every color flying on the sky or sitting on swaying branches. With the palm of her hand she softly caressed the water. It felt cold and refreshing, dancing against her fingers. _

_Then, as she touched the water, the transparent liquid suddenly changed color. The perfect reflection of the blue sky above was erased by a quickly spreading bright red. She removed her hands as fast as she could, but the red continued to spread, covering every drop of clear water, extending, thick, like blood. She glanced around, her heart beating fast. The forest was gone. The only things that remained were black burnt trunks of trees. _

_She saw something appear suddenly on the blood river. A body. It was face up, floating with the current, nearing her. A black arrow was inserted on its shoulder. The body floated now in front of her, almost touching her as it passed, and she was able to see its face. It was a man. His face was frozen in a pained expression, his brown eyes staring blankly at the sky. _

_As fast as the water had changed color, the body in front of her started to transform. Dark hair turned golden and long, falling in a cascade of delicate waves. Dirty clothes turned into a white dress. The body of the man had transformed into a woman. _

_Elerrina noticed that she was no longer submerged in the blood river, but standing on the hard ground. Looking closely at the dead body in front of her she noticed her pointed ears. An elf. Her pale skin shone under the moonlight, her empty eyes staring at the stars…green. _

Elerrina woke up to find herself lying on the grass. A sleeping figure wrapped in green laid to her left side, his back to her so she could only see his long dark hair. _Elrohir_, she thought as she remembered where she was.

The ride during the day had been smooth and without any complications. She had spent the day mainly listening to the many stories Elrohir told her. Most of them had been about pranks they had managed to play on different elves she did not know.

The night was silent. Only a soft breeze played with the dark leaves of the sleeping trees. The fire that they had started earlier in the night was still alive and burning, only a couple of feet away from her. The sound of the wood, cracking and burning as the hot red flames danced vividly around it, played in synchronization with the swaying leaves.

She noticed Elladan sitting still next to the fire, his back to hers. In the darkness of night, the bright light traced patterns on his ebony hair and cloak, as if the flames themselves were touching his still body.

Trying not to make noise, as to not wake the sleeping Elrohir, she carefully stood up and made her way towards the fire. She knew that trying to go back to sleep would be impossible for the night, so she might as well get some company.

Silently she reached the fire and lowered herself to a sitting position on the opposite side of where Elladan sat. If he had heard her approach he had not shown it, for he remained completely still, staring into the darkness.

"Bad dream?" He asked, not turning his face to look at her.

"I am not going to tell you about it"

"I was not going to ask"

The fire cracked and twirled in between them as a sudden breeze played with her golden locks.

"What are you doing awake?" She asked him. The silence of the night frightened her as the fresh images of her dream made their way back into her head.

"I am not going to tell you about it" He answered, this time turning to face her. A mischievous sparkle shone in his eyes as he savored the words leave his mouth.

She had to contain herself from yelling at him as he used her own words against her.

"You are impossible"

"You make it impossible" With that he stood up and walked away from her and into the woods.

"Where are you going?" She said as she quickly stood up and followed him into the dark forest and away from the welcoming fire. He was faster than her but she kept walking as fast as she could, her feet stumbling on the uneven ground.

He suddenly stopped and turned to face her. Not anticipating this, she bumped into his chest. Completely taken by surprise.

"Why are you following me?" He demanded as he leaned close to her face, his silver eyes piercing into hers. She tried to lean back, away from his gaze but her back was pressed against a thick tree trunk. His hands were pressed to the trunk to either side of her, trapping her.

His deep grey eyes were looking at her intently. She tried to look away but her eyes would not obey her as she drowned in a pool of silver. She felt the need to look away, to liberate herself from his trapping stare, but could not do it.

"Why do you follow me if you have no interest in talking to me?" He leaned in closer and she found it hard to breath. His tone was not angry but his deep grey eyes burned into her green ones and she felt exposed, like if he could see inside her mind and soul.

"Are you capable of having a conversation with me without feeling the need to start a fight?" She could feel his warm breath on her face as he spoke, his face only inches from hers. She did not even try to answer for she knew that her voice had abandoned her.

"I do not believe you hate me." He was so close that his words had become only whispers. He leaned even closer if that was possible, placing his mouth just before her right ear as he whispered the rest of the words. "You are only scared of what is strange to you. You are scared to get attached to people for fear that they might leave you someday. That is what the world has taught you."

His breath on her ear made shivers run down her spine, his face almost touching hers and his mouth still close to her ear. All she could hear now was his breathing and hers, as the forest grew silent once more. He was so close that she could feel the heat from his body.

Then, without any warning he turned around and started to walk away once again.

"Elladan" She said finding her voice inside of her as she grabbed his arm preventing him form going any further.

He turned to face her in silence, eyes awaiting expectantly her words. A moment passed before she could force her mouth to open again and said what she should have said some days ago.

"Thank you…" She looked down, not willing to meet his silver gaze again for fear of she might find there. "…for saving my life"

"My pleasure" He said as he turned his back to her and disappeared into the dark forest, leaving her frozen, rooted in her place with his words still playing inside her brain.

Another chapter complete! Hope you enjoy it! And thank you to my reviwers Melty-chan 93 and .

Love,

Elena


	9. When I Only Know Your Name

The first gleams of sunlight dashed through the sky like thin threats of gold, as the dawn painted the skies in various shades of pink and violet. The dark veil of the night had not yet completely faded, contrasting obscure and peaceful against the awaking day. The morning breeze carried the beautiful melodies of birds, distant and soft, like awaking from a long dream. The dark shadows of the trees had turned different shades of purple, mirroring the dawning sky.

Elerrina sat still on the damp grass, dark green eyes dazed into the dead fire. She had returned to sit by the, then vibrant, fire after Elladan parted into the forest. She had not tried to go back to sleep, so she had focused on watching the hot red flames dance in orange and red over the cracking wood; their sparkling dance slowly shifting into a melancholic waltz until it vanished into the wind, leaving a delicate trace of grey smoke as their only memory.

It had not taken long until the sun had started to rise in the sky. She had sat there for two hours at the most, but it felt like an entire night. Elerrina heard Elrohir start to stir on the spot on the grass near to her left, where he was sleeping. Elladan had not yet returned.

She heard Elrohir slowly stand up and make his way to where she sat, his light footsteps echoing on the damp grass. She did not turn to look at him, her eyes still fixed on the dead fire, Elladan's words from the night before still ringing fresh in her right ear.

"Slept well?" He asked as he sat by her side.

"Mhm" She lied easily. Elrohir looked around, suddenly noticing the absence of his twin brother.

"Where's Elladan" She felt a shiver run down her spine as she remember how close said elf had been of her the night before, how his eyes had pierced into her very soul.

"He took off a couple of hours ago. I don't know where he went."

Elrohir smiled and nodded his head.

"He tends to do that when he cannot sleep. He will be back soon; he usually comes back at sunrise."

At that precise moment Elladan appeared through the dense forest, walking elegantly with his characteristic smirk on his face. Elerrina instinctively lowered her gaze to the dead fire once again, embarrassed from the conversation of the night before. Or perhaps she was merely scared to accidentally meet his gaze, scared to find out if his eyes would be secretive and silent once again, or if they would still be burning liquid silver that pierced through her body.

"Oh, there you are!" Said Elrohir grinning mischievously at his twin. "We were just talking about you"

"I am not surprised. Ladies love to talk about me" She felt his eyes flash to her and perfectly pictured his grin mocking her as he sat next to his brother. "They are always _following me_"

Oh no, he did not just say that! Elerrina had to contain herself from jumping at him. Was he really going to play these games with her? He was testing her. He knew that she was proud enough as to not mention their little conversation in front of Elrohir.

She knew that he had spoken the truth, and that she had deeply thanked him, clearly showing that she did not hate him, but she was not going to admit that to anyone. He wanted her to react at his comment, he knew she was embarrassed and was taking advantage of it. And on second thought, now she knew why she disliked him. If she had hated him before, it was nothing compared to how much she hated him at that moment.

Elrohir, on the other hand, seemed clueless that his brother's words carried another meaning and only smacked the back of his brothers head as he laughed.

"Come on, let's get going." Said Elrohir as he stood up. Elerrina quickly jumped into a standing position, eager for the conversation to take a different direction.

"If we set out now we will reach Imladris by nightfall. Perhaps we might even run into a patrol since we are so close to the borders." Elrohir had already started to get his horse ready, and Elerrina had closely followed behind, hoping to be told to ride with the green-cloaked elf.

With an elegant movement, he swiftly jumped to the back of the horse and extended one hand for her to take. _They are definitely taking turns on who rides with me_, she thought as she gratefully took hand and was helped to mount on the horse.

Elladan, who had remained comfortably sitting on the grass, groaned and lazily stood up and walked towards his horse. It was not long before he was also siting gracefully on his horse and started marching at front, leading the way.

They walked for a couple of hours through the green vegetation. Elerrina noticed that the trees became even more alive as they came nearer to the elven sanctuary. Every now and then the twins would start a small conversation between them, and she was glad that Elladan had seemed to lose his interest in embarrassing her.

Suddenly he stopped, a hand raised for them to follow his example. Elrohir stopped just to the right of his twin. In the silence, Elerrina heard the unmistakable sound of horses approaching at a fast speed. Her heart skipped a bit as panic ran through her body, imagining the worst. However, the twins' faces did not show any sign of alert as they waited, unmoving, for the approaching sound.

In matter of seconds horses started to appear through the trees, their elegant, tall riders dressed in light cloaks, so much like the ones the twins wore. She had no doubt that they were elves.

Their long braided hairs hung like silk curtains around their faces, in different shades of browns and gold. Their beauty made Elerrina suddenly feel very conscious of her own loose and tangled locks, as well as her human-styled plain dress.

She watched the elves slightly bow their heads in greeting at the twins, some of them adding a "My lords". She saw the twins answer with a silent nod, and then felt extremely observed as the eyes of the newcomers wondered upon her.

"Elladan! Elrohir!" Called the elf at the front on the group, who seemed to be the one in charge. His golden hair fell on his strong shoulders and back, and his blue eyes reflected the smile on his lips as he addressed the twins.

"Glorfindel!" Said Elladan, his smile mirroring the on of the golden haired elf. "What news on the borders? A large group of orcs heads west, we ran into them. Their behavior was strange; they destroyed a village of the men, not three days ago. We ran into the fresh ruins."

Elerrina saw a worried expression take possession of the elf's face.

"Strange indeed. We need to report that in Imladris. We have encountered no orcs. Everything seems to be at peace. We are heading back into the valley, I believe we will reach Imladris before sunset"

"It seems we will be traveling together then" Added Elrohir behind her. Attention was drawn upon the green-cloaked twin as he joined the conversation, and, to Elerrina's despair, eyes turned to face the speaker. It just happened that she was sitting right in front of him, locating her in the target of curious eyes.

"I see you two have made a new friend?" Asked the golden-haired elf. If there were some eyes not looking at her before, now they definitely were. Not sure of were to look, she gazed at the blue eyes of the elf who had spoken, it seemed what would be polite.

"This is Elerrina." Answered Elrohir. Understanding that there would be no further explanation on the matter from the twin, the golden haired elf simple nodded at her and started leading the party forward.

The twins took position at the front of the group, by the side of the blond elf. It was almost impossible to distinguish whether he or the twins lead the party that slowly descended towards a clear river. To her surprise none of the elves on the group seemed to doubt the authority of the twins. They looked so different now, surrounded by so many of their kind. Her kind. They looked respected, even though they looked far younger than many elves in the group. And, for the first time, seeing the two identical elves powerfully guiding the group, made Elerrina realize that she knew nothing about the elves with which she had spent the last three days.

As Elerrina looked up from her thoughts she caught Elladan's grey eyes fixed on her, staring. A smirk sparkled in his eyes as his lips curved upwards in a mischievous smile.

I hope you like the story so far! Let me know what you think of it!

Love,

Elena


	10. Gaze Upon The Forbidden

It was still a few hours before sunset when the party descended into the valley of Imladris. Houses and balconies started to emerge from the forest in a dreamlike sight. The rushing sound of the waterfalls filled her ears; joining in the joyous song of the trees as their glittering waters splashed the dark, wet rocks. Nothing Elerrina had ever seen or imagined did justice to the sight of Rivendell. No words could be used to describe it.

Her dazed eyes darted from left to right, trying to absorb every detail, every building, and every waterfall; trying to print every image, sound and smell into her memory. She felt that the atmosphere in the valley was also different. The wind was different, it sung softly, like a distant choir, in a language with no words. It was alive.

"Do you like it?" She heard Elrohir's voice ask her.

"It is quite a sight" she heard the dark haired elf laugh lightly at her choice of words.

Elladan was engaged in a conversation with Glorfindel in elvish language. For a moment she wished she could understand what they were saying because whatever the blond elf had said had caused Elladan to laugh hysterically.

The party of elves stopped upon arriving at an ample courtyard, at the main entrance of the biggest and most beautiful house Elerrina had yet seen in the valley. The elven warriors started to jump off their horses, their fine cloaks flying in the wind. A group of elves that had formed at the front steps of the house was now approaching them, waiting to receive the homecoming patrol.

She felt Elrohir dismount in a graceful leap, extending one of his hands for her to take, gently helping her down onto the soft grass. She watched Elladan and Glorfindel both jump off their horses as gracefully as Elrohir had done.

"It is good to have you back, my lords" said a silver haired elf taking the reins of the three horses and leading them to the stables. Elerrina noticed that two other elves had appeared to lead the horses of the rest of the party away.

She wondered, confused, at the tittle the elf had used upon addressing the twins. The elves from the patrol had also used such title. She wondered if the twins belonged to some noble or rich family in the valley, perhaps the sons of a well-known warrior, or a member of the council.

"Thank you, Maedil" said Elrohir tipping his head forward. "Have you seen Lord Elrond?"

"I believe he is in his study" The twins nodded their heads in thanks as they turned and walked quickly into the house. She watched as they climbed the front steps two at a time, Elladan stopping by a fair haired elven maiden to give her some words in elvish before the two mirror images disappeared into the house, Glorfindel following close behind.

She stood there in the spot, not sure of what to do or where to go. The twins had given her no indication for her to follow them, nor did they look back as they stormed into the house.

"My lady" Elerrina turned to face the fair-haired maiden who had, from what it seemed, just received orders from Elladan. She looked young, her pale features finely delineated and a sparkle of gentleness gleamed in her morning sky eyes.

"I am Faelilla" she said with a slight bow, her platinum locks cascading at the sides of her face. "If you would follow me, I will show you to a room"

"Thank you" She answered also bowing her head slightly. "I am Elerrina"

The fair-haired maiden smiled before indicating Elerrina to follow her into the house. The entrance hall was simply majestic. Large windows with pointed arches filtered the light into the ample space and richly carved columns rose in an elegant march, seeming almost too delicate and frail to support any weight.

Faelilla guided her through an enchanted labyrinth or arched corridors and wide halls, up staircases that curved from the ground and interior gardens, until they entered into a lighted room. A large bed was placed against the west wall in the center of room, its soft lavender covers shining strangely at the sunset light. A balcony, with matching soft lavender curtains, extended out of the east wall, overlooking the gardens.

Half an hour later, Elerrina found herself washed and wearing a pale rose elven dress, embroidered in thin, delicate patterns at the neckline. Faelilla was patiently carrying her task of braiding her golden hair in the elven manner, when someone knocked lightly on the door. Faelilla looked at her expectantly, and Elerrina understood that it was up to give permission to enter the room.

"Enter" she said calmly. It felt strange to give the order, especially in a foreign place where she expected to be on the receiving end of any order. Se heard the door opening and saw a young dark haired elf appear in the doorway.

"My ladies" he said, bowing slightly at the two occupants of the room. Then he turned to look directly at Elerrina and added "Lord Elrond will see you now,Lady Elerrina"

Elerrina nodded her head, stood up straight and thanked Faelilla before following the dark haired elf into the corridors of house. Lord Elrond's house, she thought, as she understood finally where she had been brought. She had not expected to be brought into the Master of Rivendell's house, much less be offered a room there.

Her nerves only grew with every step she took. She had heard plenty about the mighty elven lord from some men in the village. Plenty about how his powers extended over the forest and river. Plenty about his incredible healing abilities and wisdom. Yet, the elf had always remained a painted illustration she had found only in books.

The elf stopped in front of a pair of large, carved, oak doors with two elf guards flanking its sides. He knocked lightly on one of the doors.

"You may enter" came the reply from the inside. The voice was calmed, yet it carried so much authority and power.

The dark haired elf open one of the heavy doors and stepped into the room, signaling Elerrina to wait by the doorway.

"My Lord, here is Lady Elerrina" she heard him say.

"Thank you, Lindir, let her in"

She saw Lindir nod at her and nervously stepped into the large study. She saw Lindir gave a respectful bow at his lord before turning on his heels and exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

The walls of the large study were filled with books of all heights and colors, some seemed relatively new while others looked as if they contained the stories of the first years of Middle Earth engraved on their pages.

She saw a tall dark haired elf standing behind a large oak desk, and was surprised to see two very familiar faces sitting comfortably on the other side. Elladan and Elrohir sat looking directly at her, both in clean, elegant tunics. Now, without the green and blue cloaks to help her, Elerrina could not tell them apart. Their hairs had also been combed into fine braids attached in a half ponytail behind their heads. Both of the twins stood up as she entered the room. They looked like elven royalty.

"Welcome to Imladris, my Lady. I am Elrond." spoke the tall elf, diverting her attention from the twins and back to him. Elerrina felt her heart skip a beat as the mighty character of her childhood stories materialized in flesh and blood in front of her. His dark hair fell elegantly braided down his shoulders and back, and he wore a long formal robe the color of a blue night sky, embroidered in rich silver threat that traced delicate leaves along his heck and shoulders. A silver circlet shone neatly placed on top of his head. His face was ageless, but his silver eyes sparkled with the knowledge of many millennia. They were kind and welcoming giving a feeling of peace she had never felt before.

Elerrina found herself mute as she noticed how much the twins resembled the Elf-Lord. All three figures in the room shared the same ebony hair, but it was the grey eyes what impacted Elerrina the most. All three pairs of silver eyes were deep and absorbing, showing endless kindness and softness and at the same time piercing into her soul until she felt that she was drowning in a pool of silver.

There was also something else about the Elf-Lord that dragged her attention. There was some sort of power that surrounded him, a kind of supernatural force she could not comprehend.

"My sons, here, have already informed me of everything" Elrond continued, signaling at the twins with one extended hand as he spoke "I am deeply sorry for your loss. We will be more than happy to have you stay here in Imladris. You are welcome to stay at my house"

His sons. She knew she must have looked completely taken by surprise because she saw the twins flash her identical grins as their father spoke.

"The twins have also spoken to me very fondly of you. They tell me you are an easy person to like" Both of the twins were fully grinning now.

"I would say it is the other way around, my Lord" she added "They have been really kind to me, and are easy to like and befriend"

She saw one of the twins, the one dressed in pale gold, raise an eyebrow at her, pointing out her lie. Elladan. Lord Elrond, however, did not seem to notice the exchange of looks between Elerrina and his sons.

"I see, I am gla…" Elrond was cut off by Elladan, who suddenly decided to speak

"In fact, Ada, we became so close friends that Elerrina, here, accepted my offer to escort her to the feast of tomorrow night. Since she is new to Imladris, I thought me and Ro could show her around, especially since she is also unfamiliar with the elven kind"

He threw her a daring look as he turned to face the Elf-Lord, his face now looking completely innocent and with the most pure intentions. She felt herself burn of rage from the inside. Elrohir, quick in understanding his brother's game, also turned to look at his father, his eyes as innocent and pure as Elladan's.

" I see" said Lord Elrond, looking warily at the twins, an eyebrow raised. It was clear that he suspected the twins were plotting something, and also, that it was far from being the first time his sons wanted to play pranks on other elves.

"Thank you, Elladan for inviting Elerrina to assist with you tomorrow evening." Elrond's words were kind, but his eyes threw Elladan a warning look.

As the Elf-Lord placed a hand over the large desk while he continued to speak, Elerrina's attention was drawn towards a delicate golden band around his right hand's third finger. Upon the laced gold sat a glowing blue stone. Her eyes were lost into the peculiar ring as she felt it slowly start to whisper. It was a soft whisper of foreign words, like an echo ringing in her ears. The ring was alive. She felt the ring surrounded by the same mysterious power that surrounded the Elf-Lord.

Suddenly she heard Elrond stop talking as he noticed her staring at his hand. He pulled the hand away and folded his left hand over it upon his lap, indiscreetly hiding the ring from her view.

"Is something the matter, my lady?" He asked. Elerrina quickly looked away from his hand, embarrassed to be caught staring.

"I am sorry, my Lord. I am only tired" she lied. As she looked into his eyes she knew that he had caught her lie. His grey eyes were now looking at her warily, tense, and yet his composure remained relaxed.

"I am sorry for keeping you. " he said as he stood up again, the twins copying him. "I am very interested in speaking with you after you have rested. I will be grateful if you could then tell me about you. I must admit I am curious about you being raised by men."

"Thank you, my Lord. It will be my pleasure to tell you about it" As she stood up she noticed that Elrond still held his right hand away from her view.

In that moment a soft breeze entered the room through one of the open windows. She heard voices in the wind, just as she had heard when they had entered the valley. The whispers were louder now and she heard the ring whisper loudly in return, as the breeze extinguished. The ring was alive, and so was the wind. She gasped as her eyes turned quickly towards Lord Elron'ds hand where the ring was kept from her sight., trying to find the ring that had spoken with the wind.

The Elf-Lord was frozen in front of her, his eyes deeply scrutinizing her. The twins seemed to not have noticed anything unusual for she could see them as they grazed, confused, between her and the Elf-Lord.

"You heard that" It was not a question but a statement, She looked confused at the Master of Rivendell as his eyes were kept fixed on her, wary. Elerrina did not know what to answer. Was she not supposed to have heard the wind? She did not know what was happening, or what had caused the Elf-Lord's sudden coldness.

She saw Lord Elrond close his eyes for a moment before looking intensively at her again. His gaze cold, defensive and betraying a hint of fear. She saw his self-consciousness as he kept his hand hidden in his rich robe.

"You saw _it_"

Here is another chapter! It's a little bit longer, but I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think!

Love,

Elena


	11. Beautifully Terrifying

"you saw _it_"

The words where slow, almost whispered. His eyes were locked on hers, his gaze intense and perplex. Elerrina felt the fear swallow her mind; she did not know how to react. She was shocked and stunned, and, by the looks of it, so was the Elf-Lord.

Elrond was quick to regain his composure, standing tall and mighty, only making her feel smaller and more nervous. She threw a look at the twins, silently yearning to find comprehension in their eyes, but they merely looked confused, like two fish out of the water.

Elladan kept shifting his gaze from her to his father, as if somehow suddenly one of them would explain to him what he had missed. Elrohir was looking at his twin, then back at his father, as if trying to understand why the sudden tension.

"Heard….what?" asked Elladan slowly, as he fixed his silver eyes upon his father. His expression was now worried, serious. She felt her heart fill with fear at his words. He had no heard the wind. He had not heard the ring. She wanted to answer him, she wanted him to tell her that he had heard it and she should not worry about it, but the intense gaze of the Elf-Lord told her that it was better to stay silent.

"saw what?" Asked the other twin, also gazing at his father, but no answer was given to them.

Elrond remained unmoving and silent, his grey eyes penetrating her green ones, scrutinizing her. His hand was kept hidden in his robe, the ring hidden from her eyes. She wondered about his reaction. The ring was astonishingly beautiful, the blue stone glowing dimly, whispering in a soft echo into the air. It was a sight to remember, a sight that called immediately the attention of the eye. Cleary someone else must have stared at it before; it was impossible for such a jewel to pass undetected. More so, why did he wear it if he did not want anyone to gaze upon it?

But there was more to that ring, and she knew it. The power she could feel around it was both fascinating and terrifying. Perhaps in the valley roamed silent powers, deeper and stronger than she had thought. And perhaps they were best kept secret.

"Have you seen it before?" Elrond's voice was calmed, every word pronounced in a slow manner. He spoke lowly, not even the elven ears of the guards outside the door would catch a single fragment of his words.

Elerrina shook her head slowly. "No" she said. Elrond was looking at her silently.

"What is it?" she added in a faint whisper, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"This is Vilya, the ring of air" He slowly took his hand out of hiding as he spoke.

She felt the twin's eyes sharply turn to look at her. Eyes wide in surprise, as if comprehension had come to them. They knew the ring, it was written in their eyes.

The ring sparkled strangely at the candlelight that filled the studio. The blue stone had turned dark, it's smooth surface reflecting the figures of the room like the mirror of a night-lit ocean. A dim glow danced at its core, like an extinguishing blue flame trapped inside a crystal cage.

"Beautiful, is it not?" said Elrond as she turned her gaze back into his eyes.

"yes" her voice was barely more than a whisper. She cautiously chose her words, unsure if she should speak at all. "Beautiful….and terrifying"

Elrond nodded silently in response. Both Elladan and Elrohir were standing still, their eyes wide open and cautious.

"Wh…How?" Elladan stumbled upon his words, his eyes looking into hers, their expression shocked, scared, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Impossible" whispered Elrohir soflty. He seemed to be the one of the twins who could think straight at the moment. His eyes were looking directly at his father, confusion and worry clearly written in his grey orbs. "The ring is invisible on your hand and you know it, Ada"

"Not to her eyes" Answered the Elf-Lord.

Elerrina felt herself turn pale. The twins could not see the ring. Why was the ring visible to her? That question seemed to be in the minds of the other three elves as well, for she could see it clearly in their wary eyes.

The ring whispered again, the blue dancing flame glowing brighter as the sung words rang in her ears once more. The twins remained unmoving, confirming Elerrina's assumption that they had not heard this whisper either.

A knock on the tall oak doors made the four elves turned their heads, breaking them from their deep thoughts.

"Enter"

A fair-haired elf came rushing into the room, his eyes fixed only on the Elf-Lord, not noticing the other three elves.

"Your presence is needed in the Healing Wing, my Lord" he said quickly.

"I will be there in a second" The newcomer nodded and quickly turned around before exiting the room in the same rushed manner that he had come in.

Elrond took a few steps closer to Elerrina, his eyes fixed on hers.

"Speak to no one of what you have seen and heard. " His voice carried such a strong power and command that even if she had wanted to, she could not disobey. Not able to find her voice, Elerrina simply nodded her head.

"Now if you would excuse me, I have to go. Elladan will walk you back to your chamber. I am sure you had a long tiring day"

The Elf-Lord then turned around and gracefully exited the room to follow the fair-haired elf that waited outside the door.

"Come" said Elladan as he made his way towards the door. The expression on his face had softened again, his eyes gentle and polite. "I will show you the way" He acted as if nothing had happened, and she understood that she should do the same.

He opened the massive door and let her go out first before following her outside the elegant studio, closing the door behind him. Soon enough, Elerrina found herself silently following the dark-haired elf through the labyrinth of lacing corridors. She did not know the hour, but assumed that it must have been late for the corridors were empty. Every now and then they would run into an elf or two who would simply bow their heads in greeting.

"Here we are" Said Elladan as he stopped in front of the familiar door that lead into her chamber. His pale-gold robe shone lightly at the candlelight, sparkling softly when the light met the rich embroidery at his neck. His eyes looked darker in the dim light, holding a strange mysteriousness in them.

"Were you even going to ask me to the feast?" she snapped suddenly. She had not forgotten the trick he had played on her just minutes ago. A grin appeared in Elladan's face, making her rage rise once more.

"What if I decline your invitation?" she added glaring at him.

"Let me remind you that you have already agreed to come" his eyes sparkled with anticipated victory at his words. "Are you going to cancel on a son of Elrond after you have already given your word? That would not be very polite"

His mischievous eyes gazed upon her, savoring his victory. He had given her no option in the matter. It made her hate him even more if that was possible. He had used his privileged position to his advantage.

"Fine, _my lord_" Her words were spoken slowly, venom injected in every syllable.

"Elladan is fine" he said as his grin extended to his eyes.

"You are despicable"

"What happened to _easy to like and befriend_" he quoted her. He was using her own words against her.

"I hate you" She wished she could think of something better to say, she wanted to anger him just as much as he was successfully angering her. To her despair his grin remained fixed on his face as he heard her poisoned words.

"I know"

Without granting him another look, Elerrina entered her chamber and closed the door in his face. She knew that was a rude and childish act, she had been taught better manners than that. However, her mind was already filled with unanswered questions, she did not want to deal with Elladan at the moment.

She waited unmoving for a reaction on his part, but only heard his light footsteps silently walking away after a moment. She was thankful that he had not argued back, or complained, but simply walked away. She was tired and scared, and on her mind all she could see was a dimly glowing blue stone.

I apologize for not updating in a long time, I was on a vacation and had no internet connection. Here is chapter 11! Hope you like it! And please let me know what you think!

Love

Elena


	12. Infinite Blue

The valley of Imladris looked different during the day. The morning light danced delicately over the walls and furniture, reflecting in gold and silver over every surface it touched.

Suddenly, in the tranquility of the day, all the events o the night before appeared only a distant dream, an illusion of her own creative imagination. Only the vivid image of the whispering blue stone that refused to leave from her mind served her as a sour reminder that it had not been a dream.

She was already washed and dressed in a plain light blue dress that had been laid out for her the night before when Faelilla made her appearance through the door. Once again, the sight of the platinum haired elven maiden had the same dazzling effect on Elerrina that it had had the night before. She observed Faelilla waltz on weightless steps towards where she sat, a pale green dress gently held in her hands.

"Good morning, Lady Elerrina" she asked in a musical voice. "Slept well?"

"Good morning, Faelilla" she answered with a mod of her head. "I was not expecting to see you this morning"

Faelilla laughed lightly at her, the sound leaving her mouth like wind chimes.

"I am a chambermaid, my Lady, and I have strict orders to make sure that you are comfortable. If you need anything you just need to send for me"

Elerrina was dumbstruck. She had not expected to have a chambermaid. She had grown up in a small house only with Naeraviel, and had learned how to cooperate in the house chores.

"Here I bring a dress for you to wear tonight. Isn't it beautiful?" Continued Faelilla with a smile on her lips.

Elerrina turned her attention to the forgotten dress in the maid's hands. It was indeed beautiful. The pale green fabric was soft and weightless, dancing with even the slightest breeze. The neckline and shoulders were thinly embroidered in sparkling silver.

"It is beautiful" was all that she managed to say as she played with one of her golden strands of hair. It seemed that Faelilla had picked the most stunning dress in Arda for her to wear.

"Here, let me help you with your hair" Said the fair-haired elf as she placed the dress on the bed and started slowly combing through Elerrina's long golden hair.

"Faelilla…tell me about the feast" she said nervously. She did not know what to expect of it. She did not know anything about being an elf, let alone attend an elven ball. With an elven lord, she reminded herself. There surely had to be a million of protocol rules and manners she did not know.

Faelilla only laughed slightly at her nervousness.

"There is nothing to worry about" she said reassuringly. "May I ask who is escorting you?"

"Ell…I mean, Lord Elladan" she corrected herself. They were no longer traveling in the woods, and elves seemed to be very formal when it came to the Lords of Rivendell. The name sounded strange as it left her mouth, as if she was talking about someone she did not know at all. And part of that was true.

"You are in good company. The twins are very noble and kind hearted, even though they do enjoy having a little fun. We enjoy having them back in the house, it is never the same when they are out hunting, it becomes too peaceful and quiet."

"Do they go out very often?" She asked, determined to find out more about the identical elves she thought she knew.

"Not so much now. There was a time after the loss of their mother, Lady Celebrian, in which they would leave for months. The spent more time out hunting orcs than in the house. It is lovely to have them back smiling and joking once again, the valley was not the same for years."

Elerrina felt her heart sink to the floor as her face paled and her soul grew heavy with guilt. The memories of only a couple of nights before came rushing back to her as accusing witnesses.

"_You cannot make time go back. Your place now it with your kind, you belong among us. You do not belong to the mortal world, they cannot escape death." Said Elladan sitting behind her on the horse. She did not say anything, and he leaned back again, sitting straight behind her once more. _

"_I am sorry for your loss" He added in a low voice. _

"_Like you would know how it feels" She snapped as she turned her head back to face him, her eyes glaring with the venom in her tone. _

_With the corner of her eye she saw Elrohir tense and look down, suddenly interested in his lap. Elladan kept his gaze fixed on her, deep and welcoming, and she thought she could see only for a split second a flash of sadness cross his stare. _

"_I've heard it's hard" he said, still looking deeply into her eyes. Elrohir was still looking down, his body tensed. _

They did know how she had felt. And yet they did not say anything to her, they had allowed her to be angry, to grieve, to take her anger on them. Suddenly she felt selfish, embarrassed of her childish behavior. What had Elladan done to deserve her bitterness? The twins had done nothing but help her.

She had hated his arrogance, his carefreeness, that sparkle in his eyes that said he could do as he pleased. But that had not been the case. He had allowed _her_ to do as she pleased. And even more, she had never offered a single kind word to him, she had never bothered to get to know him, had never answered any of his questions.

"Now you look like an elven princess" said Faelilla as she put the comb away. "Come, breakfast is ready and you must be hungry"

Without a word Elerrina stood up and followed the silver-haired elf out of the room. She walked silently behind the older elf, her thoughts still heavy with guilt. Faelilla showed her into a large hall with a long table in the middle. She noticed many elves sitting there already enjoying the meal and chatting peacefully among each other.

She recognized Lindir, the dark-haired elf who had taken her to Lord Elrond's study the night before, sitting near the middle of the table. She was also able to distinguish some of the faces of a couple of warriors she had seen in the patrol they had encountered while entering into the valley. The majority of the faces, however, were completely new to her.

"Elerrina, come join us" She was somewhat relieved to see two very familiar faces looking at her close to one end of the table. The twin who had spoken was standing up showing her a seat for her to take, and she noticed that, once again, she could not tell them apart.

She made her way to the seat offered to her across the table from the twins and sat down. Both of the twins were wearing richly embroidered tunics in the same light grey color that matched perfectly with their silver eyes. As the first twin sat back down on his chair, Elerrina noticed for the first time the elf that was sitting to her right, and had been previously engulfed in conversation with the twins.

He had light blond hair that fell flawlessly on his shoulders and back, braided in the same elegant manner the as the twins' dark hair. His eyes were the color of a clear sky, infinite like a vast calmed sea.

"Elerrina, this is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. He arrived early this morning" said the first twin signaling towards the blond elf at her right. The second twin stayed silent again, his silver eyes piercing her dark green ones and she knew then that that twin was Elladan. She felt the guilt rise again inside her, but did not show it.

Eager to escape the piercing eyes, she looked to the elven prince. The blond elf had looked up at her with a soft smile drawn on his lips. It was when she gazed into the pair of infinite blue eyes that everything seemed to stop around her. She felt her heart stop as her mind swam in the sea colored eyes, drowning in the softest blue, waking up a long lost memory inside her mind. A memory she could not find and yet remembered.

It was not the first time she had seen that elf...

Here is another chapter! I hope you enjoy this one! Please let me know what you think of it, comments are greatly appreciated!

Love,

Elena


	13. To Let You Try

It was not the first time she had seen those eyes. It hit her like bucket of iced water and she froze, her mouth incapable of producing any sound. Her mind was driving her crazy, trying to place Legola's face in a memory, but she was not able to find it. She had seen him before, however she could not remember where or when. He did not seem to recognize her either, and all of her hopes of finally having someone who knew who she was vanished.

"A pleasure to meet you, my Lady" he said politely for she was not able to say anything. She searched into his blue eyes for a hint of recognition, but could find none. However, his eyes were not completely oblivious. He was looking at her strangely, observing her.

"The pleasure is mine, my Lord" she said formally as she took her seat in front of the twins, her green eyes never leaving the sea of blue. She was not sure of how she should address an elven prince. He laughed lightly at her obvious hesitation when speaking.

"Please call me Legolas. There is no need to be formal" he said with a smile before turning his face to the twins again and reassuming his conversation with Elrohir.

He looked familiar, but she was not sure of anything anymore. She decided to let go of the matter temporarily, she would think about it later. She was not able to think straight at the moment for all she could feel were Elladan's silver eyes staring intently at her.

He had not addressed her yet; he merely sat in silence, his eyes piercing into her green ones. She wanted to look away but found that she could not do it. She was trapped again in the pool of liquid silver, unable to break the stare. She could not tell if he was angry with her for her behavior the night before. She had, after all, thrown the door on his face. She was only sure of one thing, he was waiting for her to take the first step.

She knew that she had behaved rudely, and, after her conversation with Faelilla earlier in the morning, she realized that she owed him at least a kind word.

"Good morning, Elladan" she said at last, proud of herself for the friendly tone she used.

A grin grew on Elladan's lips as his eyes sparkled with victory.

"Good morning, Elerrina" He had gotten what he wanted, and she had to remind herself that she would try and be friendly. She could already feel her anger rising. He had not been angry with her, he had only wanted her to have the first word. He knew she would feel guilty for being rude.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked. She was tired of him always winning, always able to read her perfectly and predict her reactions.

Now it was her turn to grin. Elladan looked speechless, his perfect eyebrows raised over surprise filled grey eyes. She had finally managed to catch him out of guard; he had clearly not expected her to be nice.

However, his reaction only lasted a second. His grin grew wider and his eyes looked at her mischievously, silently communicating to her that if she was going to play, so was he.

"I slept very well, thank you. I hope you found yourself comfortable last night. I assume you enjoyed sleeping on a bed after many nights in the woods."

Of course he would know how to play the nice part better than her. He sounded lordly, like a host formally welcoming his guests and she wondered how many times he had had to do so in real life. She opened her mouth to answer but was suddenly cut off by someone else.

"Are you enjoying your time in Imladris, Lady Elerrina?" She turned to her right to face the blond prince and had to force her mind to concentrate on his words and not on trying to find a long lost memory.

"Please, call me Elerrina" her forest green eyes penetrated into his blue ones. They were so familiar to her, and yet so strange. "I only arrived last night, but I am enjoying it immensely. I have never seen a place this beautiful"

"Well you arrived just in time for the celebrations," said Legolas with a soft smile on his face. "Are you attending the feast tonight?"

"Ye…"

"She is going with me" Came Elladan's voice attracting her attention from the prince and back to him. She saw Elrohir chuckle next to him, nearly choking on his freshly made orange juice. Legolas too laughed softly.

"Do you think your sister would like to go with me, Dan?" asked Legolas.

"You have a sister?" asked Elerrina looking directly at Elladan.

"She would be elated. You know Arwen adores you" said Elrohir.

"I do have a sister" said Elladan looking at her.

"You never mentioned it" she answered accusingly.

"You never asked" he said grinning. She threw him a deathly glare, but before she could think of anything else to say, their conversation was cut short.

"Elrohir, Legolas, are you ready for your training? Come with me" said the respected elf she recognized as Glorfindel while walking into the large hall.

Both elves in question nodded their heads and stood up from the table, smiles on their excited faces.

"What about me?" demanded a confused Elladan, his eyes staring at the golden haired warrior. Glorfindel smiled widely before answering his question.

"Your Adar said that you had kindly offered to show Elerrina around." The smiling eyes of the older elf communicated that he was enjoying the look on the face of the son of Elrond.

"Of course" said Elladan politely. She had expected him to protest, but he knew how to play his role better than she thought. When she turned to look at him she found him staring at Glorfindel with pure innocent eyes. "Can we watch at least?"

The golden-haired elf narrowed his eyes at the young lord in warning before nodding his head yes. Without another word he turned around and walked out of the room, Elrohir and Legolas following close behind. Imitating Elladan, she stood up from the table and followed him in silence into the labyrinth of pointed arches.

They walked into a garden before stopping at an ample courtyard. She saw Elrohir and Legolas follow Glorfindel into a small building. Instead of following, Elladan searched for a comfortable place on the grass and sat down. Silently Elerrina made her way towards the spot under a tree in which the dark-haired elf sat and lowered herself to the ground next to him.

He did not turn to look at her but remained sitting, casually looking at the building into which his twin and friend had disappeared, his eyes sparkling with the same carefreeness she hated. Curiosity suddenly took the best of her. She wanted to know him. For the first time she wanted to at least try.

Elerrina understood that he was not going to start a conversation. She had given him no reason to do so. She had been clear to him about how much she disliked him, even if he did not believe it. And yet, now that she thought about it, he had given her no reason for her to hate him.

"Will you tell me about her? You sister I mean" she asked softly in a friendly and kind voice. He quickly turned to look at her, his eyes reflecting the mischievous smile on his lips.

"No" he said as he turned around to face the front again. She felt her anger grow inside of her once more. She could now see Elrohir and Legolas emerging into the courtyard with shiny swords in hand.

"Will you tell me about you?" she tried again, her tone slightly less friendly now. This time Elladan did not even turn to face her.

"No"

"Will you tell me anything at all?" she snapped, finally out of her patience. This managed to make Elladan turn to face her, his deep grey eyes observing her confused.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his silver eyes burning into her dark green ones.

"Trying to make conversation with you" she said angrily, unable to break his gaze.

"Why the sudden interest?"

"Why don't you want to share anything?"

"You have never seemed willing to share any details about you either"

"Ugh!" Frustrated she turned her gaze to the front. Legolas and Elrohir had started crossing their swords. They moved swiftly, almost dancing in perfect coordination to the sound of clashing metal.

"I am trying" she said, lifting her eyes to look at Elladan once more. He was looking at her patiently, his face completely expressionless and his liquid silver eyes expectant. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I am trying to know you. I am trying to be kind to you for once. I am sorry, for the way I have behaved. I do not hate you. I have taken my anger and frustration on you and Elrohir, but I now understand you did not deserve any of it…I have behaved childish"

She saw the deep pair of grey eyes soften at her and she was welcomed into an ocean of silver, so transparent and honest, so understanding. The sparkle of playfulness was now gone as well as his perfect façade that had always been an enigma to her. For the first time he was letting her look into him. The lightest of smiles curved on his lips.

"You have behaved human" he said, his tone understanding and calmed. He turned to face the fighting elves, the smile still present on his lips.

"My sister is named Arwen Undomiel, known as the Evenstar of her people. She is beautiful, and very much loving and caring." She was taken aback by the kindness and friendliness in his voice. There was not even the slightest hint of anger.

"You are not angry with me?" she asked surprised.

"No" he said looking into her eyes again. "I knew your reasons all along. But if I answer your questions, you have to answer mine."

For the first time since she had met the dark-haired elf, she smiled at him. His proposal seemed fair.

"I can do that" she said nodding her head slightly.

"And, Elerrina" he started, looking deeply into her green eyes. A true smile was present on his lips. "Would you give me the pleasure of escorting you to the feast tonight? I should have asked you from the beginning. You do not have to go if you do not want to. You are free to choose"

She felt herself drown in the pool of liquid silver, so honest and open, inviting her to look into him, freely welcoming her into the softest silver sea. His stare was not trapping, as it had been so many times before, instead it was inviting, opened freely for her to stare or look away if she pleased. He was giving her a choice.

"I have already agreed to go. It would be rude of me to cancel on a son of Elrond after I have already given my word. It would not be polite" she said using the same words he had used on her the night before.

She saw his characteristic grin appear on his face as his eyes sparkled again with mischievousness. But she did not hate it anymore…

So here is chapter 13! Please let me know what you think! Chapter 14 will be coming soon with the feast!

Love,

Elena


	14. Of Pale Green and Blue

Night had already fallen over the valley of Imladris as Elerrina sat in front of a large mirror inside her chamber. Faelilla was carefully combing through her hair, tying some golden strands into delicate braids on the back of her head.

"That color looks lovely on you. You will have every single ellon begging for a dance tonight" said Faelilla as she tied the last golden braid and smiled broadly at her.

Elerrina smiled at the silver-haired elf as she studied her image in the mirror. The pale green fabric fell weightlessly around her, softly dancing at the slightest breeze. The sleeves reached only about a couple of inches bellow her bare shoulders before they fell like long strands of delicate fabric nearly to the floor. The neckline and shoulders were embroidered in sparkling silver thread in delicate patterns. The dress was stunning, and the pale color accompanied perfectly the darker shade of her green eyes.

"This is the most beautiful dress I have seen" She said thinking of all the plain human dresses she had worn many times, and the slightly pretty ones she had seen Naeraviel wear every once in a while for important occasions. Those dresses could not be compared to even the plainest elven-made dress.

Faelilla's smile broadened as she placed her hands on the Elerrina's shoulders.

"I must admit it is also one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen" Her morning sky eyes sparkled with joy as she looked into Elerrina's green ones. Oh, how she loved Faelilla already.

"Thank you, for picking it out for me"

"Oh, but it was not me who picked the dress, my Lady" said Faelilla as she put the silver comb away. "Lord Elladan picked it himself, as a present for you, of course. He brought it personally to me this morning so that I could bring it to you."

Elerrina felt a smile form on her lips and she raised her eyebrows questioningly at the silver-haired elf. Surprise was clearly written on her big green orbs. He was proving to be a bigger mystery than she had thought. So the dress had been a present.

"But why did he not come bring it to me himself?" She did not know what to think of the situation, but the image of Elladan suddenly appearing on her door with a dress on his hands was both sweet and laughable. Had he not wanted her to know the dress was a present from him? Or had he thought that she would not accept it coming from him?

"He did not tell you, did he?" The sincere smile on Faelilla's lips told her that it was not a question but a statement. "Sometimes, even after centuries, I find myself thinking that I will never understand the young Lords' reasons."

A light knock on the wooden door made the two elves in the room look up from their conversation. Without a word, the silver-haired elf walked towards the door and opened it.

"Good evening, my Lord" she heard Faelilla say.

"Good evening to you too, Faelilla" she heard a too familiar voice answer back and she turned to face the newcomer.

There on the doorway stood Elladan dressed in an elegant light blue robe, the same pale shade of his traveling cloak, Elerrina noticed. The silver embroidery of leaves on the neck and chest brought out the grey color of his eyes, making them sparkle with their natural glow. His hair had been combed and braided, the dark strands falling down his shoulders and back contrasting sharply with his pale skin. A delicate silver band rested lightly upon his head and forehead as a symbol of royalty. He looked like a son of Elrond.

Elerrina could hardly believe that the elf standing on her doorway was the same elf that had traveled with her a couple of days ago. The only thing that proved this true was the carefree gleam ever present in his silver eyes and his mocking smile.

"My Lady" he said as he bowed his head slightly. His words were formal, and yet his eyes looked at her mischievously, and she did not know if he was being serious or if he was mocking the formal greeting that was traditional among elves.

"My Lord" she answered rising up from her chair and walking towards where he stood. She saw his eyes carefully studying her as a very familiar grin appeared on his face.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked her as he offered his arm to her.

Throwing back a quick glance a Faelilla, Elerrina took his arm and he began to lead them through the house. She liked the feeling of his arm entwined in hers, although she would never admit it to him. It made her feel safe and comfortable and made all her nervousness and worries fade away.

They joined Elrohir at the top of a large staircase. He looked as elegant and royal as his mirror image; the only difference between the two was once again their choice of color. Elrohir wore a formal robe in a deep green shade and a thin silver band, equal to that of his twin's, rested on his head.

Elerrina also noticed the familiar face of Legolas standing just behind the younger twin. The image of his infinite blue eyes staring at her made her mind uneasy. If only she could remember. He, on the other hand, looked undisturbed as he smiled at her and Elladan.

Trying desperately to concentrate her gaze on anything else than the overly familiar elven prince, she noticed a third figure standing with them. Next to Legolas stood a fair dark-haired elven lady that Elerrina had never seen before but was immediately able to recognize. Her delicate features resembled the twins slightly and her equally ebony hair fell in long waves down her back to her waist. Different for the twins and her father, her eyes were a pale shade of blue.

"You must be Elerrina. I am Arwen. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She said in a voice that sounded like wind chimes.

"The pleasure is mine" she said trying to be successful in hiding her stunned expression.

"You should rethink your choice of words" she snapped in a barely audible whisper to Elladan as he let them next to Elrohir. He had described her as _beautiful_, but she was way beyond simply beautiful. Elerrina felt plain and common next to this glowing elven princess.

He acted as though he had not heard her, but she saw the corner of his mouth curve up in a tiny smirk. However, before she could say anything else, the sound of light approaching steps made them all turn around.

Lord Elrond appeared into view wearing rich burgundy formal robe and the shiny silver circlet neatly placed over his head. His presence filled the space with calm and peacefulness, but at the same time it carried that immense power that made Elerrina feel nervous once again. He looked serene and content as he gazed upon all of the elves waiting at the staircase. His eyes darted to her and she felt them piercing her soul once more.

"Are you all ready to descend?" he asked smiling as he took his place in the front of the line.

She did not notice when Elrohir answered with a simple "yes" for her mind was once again absorbed by the fascinating and yet terrifying presence of certain ring upon the Elf-Lord's right hand. The ring glowed dimly, the light dancing slowly inside the big blue stone. And she heard it whisper. It whispered constantly, its power surrounding the Lord's tall figure and fleeing into the wind every once in a while.

No other elf could see the strange jewel, nor could they hear it. They remained completely undisturbed by their presence. Elrond also seemed to act completely oblivious to it. His face a perfect mask of tranquility. Only when his deep grey eyes pierced into her green ones she knew that he was aware of what was in her mind. He was aware of the effect the ring had on her.

"_Try to ignore it" _

Her heart skipped a beat as she heard his calmed voice inside her head. Her head darted instantly towards the Elf-Lord, but found him peacefully sharing some words with Elrohir before starting their way down the massive staircase. She did not know how he had entered her mind; she had never experienced such thing before. She felt scared but hid it, determined to follow his example and not let the others know of their silent exchange of words.

"My Lady" Elrohir's voice drew her out of her trance and she found him offering one of his arms to her. She accepted it with her free arm and, with her other arm still holding on to Elladan's she started her march between the two identical elves.

They made their way down with the Lord of Imadris at the front, followed by the twins and Elerrina and Arwen followed just behind them by the arm of Legolas. Elerrina felt a wave of panic wash over her as they marched gracefully towards a pair of huge finely crafted doors. Of course Imladris' first family would make a formal entrance into the hall holding the feast, how did she not think about it before. Her panic intensified as she realized that was being lead by the twins on either side of her; there was no way in Arda that curious stares would spare her. And above all things, she could still hear the echo of the Lord's voice ringing freshly inside her mind as she tried her best to ignore the incessant whispers in the air.

Wow, I don't know why this chapter took me so long to write it! I hope you like! Comments are welcome! I promise next chapter will come sooner!

Love,

Elena


	15. Would You Dance?

The enormous hall was filled with tables at which sat elves dressed in all sorts of colors, some of which Elerrina had never seen before. The joyous voices in conversation floated in the air like a loud murmur, becoming a happy background melody rather than understandable words. She was sure that the entire valley was in that room. She had never seen so many elves!

The bright light produced by thousands of candles sparkled on the glasses filled with the sweetest wine she had ever tasted. From her seat at the unbelievably long table especially set higher than the others for the Lord of Rivendell, Elerrina could overlook the entire feast. Her wide eyes darted from left to right and then to left again, trying to capture every image, sound and smell and stamp them into her memory.

At Lord Elrond's table sat many elves, both males and females, all richly dressed and adorned in jewels. Most certainly all the other lords and ladies and high ranking warriors of Imladris. Silver trays and bowls were bursting with fruits and pastries and many other dishes that were new to her.

She remembered having her heart on her throat as they entered into the hall and found it already packed with elves that waited standing patiently. The ones closest to them had bowed respectfully, smiling and overjoyed to spend time with Imladris' first family. She had nearly dug her nails into Elladan's arm when she saw that they were to sit at the higher table. She had felt all the thousands of curious eyes looking at her silently smiling. Lord Elrond had given some welcoming words out loud and was the first to seat in a throne-like chair prepared for him at the head of the table. After that she heard all the other elves in the hall taking their seats. Elladan had pulled a chair for her and waited until she sat before he and Elrohir took their respective seats and conversation erupted in the hall.

Her panic how now completely vanished only to be replaced by an overwhelming awe that stamped a wide smile permanently on her lips. Glorfindel sat to Elrond's right, and both elves were engulfed in an animated conversation, the golden-haired warrior laughing hysterically. By the look on their faces Elerrina guessed that they must be close friends. Next to Glorfindel sat a dark-haired elf she did not know, but seemed to be another close friend by the way he was also engaged in their conversation. Legolas sat across from her with Arwen to his left, and Elladan and Elrohir sat on either side of her.

She could feel Elladan's mysterious grey eyes fixed on her, melting into her very soul. The closeness of his body sitting next to her at the table made her feel nervous. She tried hardly to avoid looking at his direction but her eyes betrayed her every two minutes, looking away quickly once they met the deep silver gaze.

"You should see your face" said Elrohir at her left. He was grinning widely, his eyes sparkling with mischievousness. It would never stop to surprise her how identical the twins were.

"What?" she said defensively, her cheeks turning pink. Elladan chuckled to her right and she turned her face to him. He opened his eyes wide and blinked many times turning his face from left to right in a mocked imitation of her awe. Legolas burst into laughter and Elerrina unsuccessfully glared at the older twin. She was angry but the look on the grey eyed elf was simply too hilarious.

"Thant is just…"she turned to look at Elrohir as he spoke.

"How you look" finished Elladan and she turned her face again to her right. She felt that if they continued to finish each other's sentences she would harm her neck by the end of the night.

"Oh, do not listen to them, Elerrina. You look adorable" said Arwen smiling broadly at her. She smiled back at the stunning elven lady and tried to see that as a compliment.

"You do look adorable" She felt Elladan's nearly inaudible whisper on her right ear, his warm breath on her skin made shivers run down her back and caused her heart to accelerate.

"really?" she whispered back in a mocking tone. "It must be my beautiful dress that Faelilla picked for me this morning"

The playful smile on her face spoke clearly the intended message behind her words. He grinned in response quickly catching the indirect message and laughed softly, his surprised eyes turning to the front as he shook his head lightly and quickly grabbed his glass of wine and sipped from it to avoid having to answer.

Elves all over the hall had started to stand up form their seats and dance gracefully in the center of the large room. She saw Legolas stand up extending a hand to Arwen and watched them make their way to join the waltzing elves.

She saw a dark-haired lady dressed in a gorgeous lavender dress nervously start to make her way towards where they sat.

"Would you like to dance?" Elrohir said quickly extending a hand for her to take. His grey eyes were so silently pleading her to accept.

"I would love to, although I am not sure I know how to" she admitted as she took his hand and let him lead her towards the dancing crowd.

"I will lead you" out of the corner of her eye she saw the dark-haired lady saying something to Elladan before he stood and led her to the dance floor.

Suddenly understanding Elrohir's move, Elerrina could not help but laugh lightly.

"Were you trying to avoid her?" she asked as the younger son of Elrond placed his hand on her waist and started leading her into a soft waltz.

"Who?" his eyebrows raised with the question and his eyes looked like those of an innocent child, something she knew he was not.

He sighed before admitting the truth to her

"Yes. Although I would have said yes if she had managed to ask me for a dance" she had no doubt he would have accepted. The twins were well-mannered lords and would never be rude to a lady. "Elladan will kill me later." He said laughing lightly. She did not ask for details but was somehow sure that this was not the first time the girl had wanted a dance with one of the twins.

She turned around to look at the other twin who was now gracefully leading the dark-haired lady around the floor. His face did not betray any discontent and the lucky lady seemed close to passing out of happiness. She did not blame her. His pale blue robe moved around him softly, the embroidery sparkling in silver and his dark hair fell like silk over his shoulders as he leaned his head to look down at the shorter lady.

She also spotted the Lord of Imladris moving gracefully, accompanied by a beautiful blond lady. The ring on his hand had not stopped whispering the whole night but it was becoming considerably easier to ignore. Suddenly she remembered the feeling of his voice echoing inside her head.

"Elrohir?" she said looking into his sincere grey eyes as they moved softly among the dancing couples.

"Yes?"

"Can you and Elladan speak through your minds? She phrased the question as to not give away hints of what she was really curious about. She did not want Elrohir to ask her why. "I have seen you stare at each other silently as if you were communicating"

"Yes" he said smiling at her curiously, trying to understand her sudden interest. "We are twins and therefore we share a very strong bond that allows me to go into his mind just as easily as he can go into mine"

"Is that only between twins?"

"No. Elves also share bonds with their family members. I can silently communicate with my father and sister, although I can only speak to them but not go inside their minds and thoughts as I do with Elladan. Bonds are also created by strong friendship and time, I am sure that Glorfindel is able to reach my father's mind if he wishes to."

"Could you not speak into another elf's mind who is not your family or a well known friend?" His eyes were looking at her questioningly but she was glad when he did not interrogate her.

"No. It would require a very old and powerful mind to do that. I know that Lady Galadriel, my grandmother, can do so, but her mind powers are far beyond natural. The only ever known elf to be able to reach a stranger's mind is my father, but he can only do so while submerged in a trance. I have seen do this many times when his healing energy is required, but it takes time and immense concentration."

That had been exactly what she had wanted to know, but it did not ease her mind. On the contrary it confused her more. Why and how had the Elf-Lord been able to speak into her head so easily and not even give a hint of concentration or effort?

Elladan suddenly appeared behind his twin and placed a hand on his shoulder for him to step away. His mirror image grinned at her as he let go of her hand and allowed his brother to take it.

"I owe you one" He said grinning mockingly at Elladan.

"No. We are even" He said back maliciously with his characteristic mischievous grin on his lips. She saw Elrohir's smile disappear immediately and be replaced by a bewildered expression.

"Why?" Elerrina could hear worry in his voice and could not help but smile in amusement. 

"I told her I was you, and that I would love to dance with her again in another feast, so she need only ask for Elrohir"

"You did what?" Elrohir's eyes widened in horror and Elladan grinned in victory.

Elerrina laughed hard and she watched out of the corner of her eye the twin in the green robe walk away muttering to himself. But she did not pay attention to him anymore. The only thing she could concentrate on for the moment was Elladan's hand placed on her waist and his other holding hers as he led them into the dancing crowd. His eyes piercing hers and she felt herself drown once again in a pool of liquid silver with no end and no escape.

Here is another chapter! Let me know what you think! And thank you to all of my reviewers; I really appreciate knowing your thoughts about the story.

Love,

Elena


	16. In The Secret Veil of Night

Elladan guided her through the floor among the crowd of gracefully dancing couples. He was a good dancer, she noticed, and so was Elrohir. Then again, every single elf she could see in the room seemed to be a good dancer. Her surroundings were fascinating, the elves moved gracefully, almost floating on their feet, and their elegant robes in dazzling colors twirled and fluttered all around them. And yet she did not care to spare a glance on anything other than the one elf she had in front of her.

His grey eyes had not left her for a second, the silvery color dragging her, pleading her to look at him for eternity, and she could not break the stare. Nor she wanted to try. She had been sure that she hated the elf; the simple idea of him had made her cringe. He could manage to make her rage explode at his free will and now he was proving to her that he could also manage to make her feel butterflies fluttering inside of her. He had complete control over her and he did not even know it. Or perhaps he did.

The look on his eyes held no playfulness now, all the mischievousness, the wicked gaze that seemed to challenge her with every single stare was gone. Instead his eyes sparkled with sincere trust and content. He was playing no game with her.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a couple of ladies sitting on a nearby table with their eyes fixed upon her, alert to every single step she or Elladan made, carefully studying them. Their eyes shone with jealousy and Elerrina suddenly felt nervous again, observed.

Elladan looked at her curiously and then turned around to look at what had caught her attention. After a second he looked back at her grinning widely when he spotted the ladies. Looking at her reassuringly she felt him tighten his hold on her hand, gently squeezing it. He stopped dancing and let his hand slip from her waist to grasp her other hand. He leaned his head close to her left ear.

"Do not let them get into your nerves" He whispered softly. Then he leaned forward and gently placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "That will give them something to talk about. Come, let's get out of here."

Elerrina looked back at the ladies and felt a grin forming on her lips at the bewilderment on their faces. She felt a wave of guilt wash over her for delighting in the ladies' envy, but she could not help her lips fro curving up in a smile. It did not matter how much they talked, their stares meant nothing to her now. Tonight Elladan was with her.

Still with her hand in his, Elladan guided her out of the crowded hall to a large terrace. Some other elves had already started to populate the terrace, probably seeking some peace and a quieter area to talk. It was the perfect place to do so for one could still see the dancing couples and hear the music but, at the same time, have a little more privacy.

However, much to her surprise, Elladan did not stop at the beautiful terrace but continued through it, descending the couple of low steps at its edge and leading her into the gardens. The bright lights from the ball became distant now, and the air danced with the freshness of the swaying dark trees. She could see many bushes full of thousands of flowers which colors had been reduced to simple shades of blues in the darkness of the night, the pale moonlight giving them a soft glitter of silver every once in a while.

He led her deep into the gardens, walking slowly among the flowered trees. After a while the sound of water softly flowing reached her ears and it was not long until she saw a small creek appear in between the wonder of flowers and trees. The black waters mirrored the stars above and over them a tiny bridge arched delicately, almost floating over the reflected sky.

Silently, Elladan led her into a beautiful gazebo next to the bridge with pointed arches that seemed almost too fragile to support any weight. She watched him sit down on the bench placed on one corner, and she felt as if she was in a dream. Everything about the place was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen or imagined, but the image of the son of Elrond, tall and handsome, siting under the pale moonlight, surpassed every dream.

She caught a glimpse of light glittering to her right and found a bunch of tiny white lilies that had started to grow all around the delicate arches. She felt a smile appear on her lips as she saw the pale petals shine in silver under the stars, so spontaneous and yet so regal, their silver sparkle reminding her of his eyes.

"Do you like those?" She turned her face to look at the sitting elf, his dark hair merging with the night sky and his light blue robe glowing in pale reflections. She nodded as she searched her eyes, her dark green orbs easily finding his grey ones. He smiled softly at her, the movement reaching his pensive eyes.

"They were my mother's favorites" he turned his gaze towards the white lilies and she saw his eyes get lost for a moment and she could see a hint of pain in them for a second before he looked up back at her, the smile still on his face. She felt her heart fall to the floor and felt angry with herself for causing him pain, even if it had been just for a moment.

She walked to the bench and sat down next to him, angling her body so that she could face him.

"I'm sorry" she whispered looking at her lap. Her long golden hair fell over her shoulders, tracing a weightless curtain to the sides of her pale face. He took both of her hands in his and she looked up to see the smile still present on his lips.

"Don't be" he said quietly, his eyes melting into her, looking at her in the same that she was looking at him. She wanted for him to never let go of her hands. "She had to sail to heal, but I will see her again some day" She did not fully understand his words, but did not want to ask any more about the subject.

Looking back through the trees she could see the faintly glowing light of the feast in the distance and was reminded of all the dancing couples and joyful smiles. They seemed so distant now, so unimportant. Even the powerful ring on the Elrond's hand seemed like a tiny detail now, unreal.

"Have you come to feasts like this your entire life?" she asked changing the direction of the conversation. She had never in her life even picture a feast like this one, and it seemed unreal to her that he had probably grown up attending to them.

He grinned at her, reading her thoughts from her eyes.

"I have seen feasts similar to this my entire life, but did not attend until I was old enough to. Elrohir and I were only allowed to come down to greet the guests, but then we had to go to bed, something we never did, I should say." His eyes sparkled with his characteristic mischievousness and it was not hard for her to picture him as small elfling running around the house.

"I am sure you did not go to bed" she added laughing lightly.

"No. We would always find a way to sneak out. In certain occasions Adar had to order Glorfindel to make sure we were in bed." Elerrina laughed again as she pictured the golden haired warrior babysitting the Lord's sons. She had started to pity the elf after all the stories Elrohir had told her of the pranks the twins had played on him.

She felt comfortable in the solitude of the night. It reminded her of the many nights they had camped in the sleeping forest, when she had not known anything about him, and yet his presence had been a familiar comfort. His sole presence made her feel at home, safe.

He reached a strong hand and placed one lock of her golden hair behind her ear. She could not stop herself as her hand moved softly to his cheek gently caressing the pale skin. His hand flew to hers, placing it softly over hers and pressing it in place over his cheek. He slowly moved her hand from his cheek to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on its back. When his eyes looked back at her she felt herself drown again in the welcoming grey, looking at her as if the world around them had vanished.

Then he leaned in close to her, his face stopping only at mere inches from her and she felt her heart race. He was so close she could feel his warm breath on her face and the heat from his body. It was not the first time he came that close to her, and both times now she had felt her heart stopping inside of her as he looked into her. But this time she was not afraid of him, she would not push him away. She did not want to.

"Why did you hate me?" He whispered. The sound was pained, not resentful but merely curious as his eyes looked questioningly into hers, pleading for a truthful answer. But she could not lie to him, in that moment she knew that she could never lie to him, could never deny him anything. She could see in his eyes the transparent hurt that her coldness had caused him, all the hidden pain her constant rejection had given him. And she hated herself for it.

"You scared me." She said, the truthful words leaving her mouth before she could think of them, speaking the truth she had not understood until now. "The way you could so easily control how I felt and without even knowing it. You could make manipulate my emotions like one could a child, and I did not want to let you try. It angered me, the power you had over me. And I tried to make you angry as well, but never succeeded. I never really hated you. I could never hate you. I was scared I would get hurt. In growing up among men I learned that people die, they leave me, but I remain. Now I do not want to push you away any longer. And why am I saying this to you?"

Suddenly he grabbed her face with his hands and closed the gap between them in a passionate kiss, silencing her. Then everything in Arda seemed to be at its right place, and the silver moon sparkled above them, accompanied only by the shining stars as their only witnesses. Some meters from them the elves were dancing, others drinking; Elrohir probably still avoiding the dark haired lady; Legolas and Arwen gracefully waltzing to the joyous music; Glorfindel animatedly chatting with the Lord of Imladris; but they were a distant memory now, oblivious to them and their whereabouts.

Elladan broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. His hand entwined in hers and she felt butterflies dance inside her stomach. She gazed into his eyes, the deep silvery grey sparkling dimly under the moon looking at her lovingly, and she felt that she belonged there, inside those eyes.

"I would never hurt you, Elerrina" He said, and she believed him. Yet she had hurt him before.

She heard him chuckle softly as he touched one strand of her hair with a hand, the sweet sound awarding a smile from her.

"Whoever named you must have seen you at night. Elerrina, _crowned with stars_. It fits you" she laughed lightly and was aware of the way the starlight reflected her golden locks, almost as if they were placing themselves on top of her head.

"My foster mother, Naeraviel did. She did find me at nighttime, thought I never asked for details"

All of the sudden the air echoed with loud noises and cheers coming from the distant ball. She could hear the elves talking animatedly as they walked out of the hall in a big crowd and into the open courtyard. She and Elladan both turned their heads towards the noise, the dark haired elf grinning at the sounds.

"Its midnight already" She looked at him questioningly, her eyebrows rose expecting an explanation. " It is tradition to fill the river with floating candles at midnight for the feast, everyone puts a candle into the water, so there end up being thousands of them."

"Should we go see it?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement. He laughed at her awe again and she glared at him.

"I will show you a better view. Come" He stood up quickly and extended his hand for her to take and in a matter of seconds he was walking fast through the trees, following the river into the forest. All of the noises from the celebrating elves vanished in the distance and she could hear nothing but the rushing waters and the swaying leaves.

He walked quickly, wanting to get there fast probably before they let go of the candles. After long minutes he stopped and she noticed that they had reached an edge in the forest. They had reached a cliff that overlooked the entire valley. The high spot offered them a privileged view of the entire river, as well as some of waterfalls that fed into it.

She gasped in surprise as her eyes caught sight of tiny lights that slowly started to appear on the dark waters, lightly being carried by the current. They were few at first, but gradually multiplied until the whole river seemed to be made of golden fire. She did not want to miss a single second of the spectacle of candles.

However her vision was cut shorter than she would have wanted. The view of the valley between the many trees disappeared in front of her eyes and she felt many images dance in front of her eyes. She saw the river from close, flew all over it, reaching to places that went far from the valley. She then saw trees and the forest, as if she was searching for something. Pieces of the forest appeared in front of her eyes quickly but they did not show anything other than trees.

A ringing noise reached her ears and she heard the loud murmurs of the ring, crying loudly as the wind hit her face. As soon as the images had come they had left, but the wind had not ceased or quieted down. She saw the river again and noticed that the candles had nearly disappeared by now, led away by the constant river.

Then the trees swayed again, this time hard as they let out a warning. They spoke of danger, and it was then that Elladan lifted his eyes to meet hers, alert.

"We have to go" he said in a rushed voice that made Elerrina freeze in place. He grabbed her hand too quickly for her to notice and started running through the trees as fast as he could lead them, their ears and eyes alert to the warnings of the forest. They were too far from the valley and the danger seemed to be too close.

A pitched cry echoed through the forest, making her shiver involuntarily. He did not need to say the words to confirm to her what the danger was. Orcs. And they were too close to them now. They would not make it in time.

"Up the trees" He indicated and she obeyed quickly as he helped her up to the lowest branch. She climbed fast, only looking down to check that he was following her into the safety of the dark canopy. He stopped over a high branch next to her and pressed her to the trunk lifting a finger to his lips to indicate her to be quiet.

She could still feel the wind raging in her ears crying loud words in a language she cold not understand, and images started to appear again in front of her eyes. More parts of the forest; some deserted streets in the outskirts of the valley; cliffs and waterfalls. She felt as if she was flying over the images, quickly moving through all those places. Then she felt a wave of worry wash over her, overpowering her own feeling of fear. She felt worry, frustration, and anxiety. But those feelings did not belong to her.

The sound of heavy metal boots on the grass below pulled her back to the real world. They were here. They were running fast, armed with black swords and bows and arrows that made dark memories come to her mind. They did not seem to notice them as they ran below them, and she held her breath as she pressed her body closer to Elladan's.

She heard the wind cry out again and she welcomed it to her, silently asking for it to protect them, to lead the orcs away. Some of the orcs had stopped in their march, and had started to look up at the trees, probably sensing life somewhere or hearing their fearful breaths.

The wind raged again and she used all of her concentration to plead for it to help. To her surprise it seemed to respond to her, and a strong breeze shook all of the trees hardly, causing a bunch of birds to fly out from the nearby trees. The orcs that had stopped snorted and continued their hurried run, not interested anymore in the surrounding forest.

She did not get to verify if all of the lurking orcs had continued their march because another vision of images took her mind again. She saw the orcs as if she was flying just over the tree upon which she stood with Elladan. She saw them running and she flew over them. Then she saw another group of orcs, as large as the first one if not bigger, running in a place of the forest she did not recognize. Then a third group equally as large came into view.

Finally she saw a clearing in a rocky part of the forest. Hundreds of the fowl creatures were gathered in there, and she felt the foreign emotions take hold of her again. She felt fear and the strongest worry she had ever felt. But those emotions did not belong to her. She could feel them, not inside her boy, but inside her mind. And then she also knew that the visions did not belong to her either.

"They are too close to the valley" Elladan's worried voice made her mind come back from the visions. "They had never been this close. Why did nobody see them?"

He was more talking to himself than to her, and she felt as if her mouth had forgotten how to speak. All the orcs were gone from their sight, running fast with an unknown determination.

"We need to get back" He said once he had made sure it was safe to return. "We need to tell my father."

She snapped her eyes up to meet his as she spoke with a shaky voice.

"He knows"

To be continued…

This chapter is a little bit longer than the others. I don't know if you prefer them longer or shorter, but I hope you enjoy it! Let me know your thoughts about it!

Love,

Elena


	17. I See, You See, We See

"He knows"

She barely recognized the shaky voice that had left her lips. She was still shocked and overwhelmed by the flying images before her eyes and the sudden bursts of borrowed emotions inside of her.

Elladan looked at her for a long moment, his grey eyes puzzled and concerned, but he did not say a word. He merely nodded, and she felt relieved that he had chose not to question her in that moment.

Slowly and carefully they descended from the high branches of the old tree. The pure darkness made it hard to watch their steps and the heavy canopy shielded the platinum light of the watchful Moon.

Landing on the grass first in a graceful jump, Elladan turned and offered a hand for her. Gladly she let herself be helped as she jumped down from the lowest branch, landing rather clumsily on the grass as her feet got caught on her long dress. Thankfully she had his hand for support and he tightened his hold on her as to prevent her from ungracefully hitting the ground.

Although still scared and shaky with the terrifying images still vivid on her head, Elerrina resented the orcs for their apparition precisely on that night. The dark haired elf had not said a word as he started to lead them back into the safety of Imladri's gardens. She could see worry clearly written on his grey eyes and was sure that he was lost in deep thoughts at the moment.

However, the sudden apparition of the disgusting creatures had seemed to alert the son of Elrond's nerves. He had not let go of her hand, and his hold on it remained tight, pulling her close to him, ready to jump at the slightest threat. But no threat came. There was no sight of the orcs; they had simply passed by them in a hefty run.

It was not until they had reached the peaceful garden with the delicate bridge that Elladan seemed to relax his grip on her. The pale moonlight shone in platinum sparkles on the dark water and the sweet sound of the sleeping trees served to calm her agitated soul and mind with a welcoming feeling of safety.

Elladan's quick steps had now been reduced to a slow walk and he finally stopped once they had crossed the small arching bridge. He turned to face her and she found herself staring at a pair of troubled silver eyes, the pair of eyes that had now become her center of focus. He was looking at her intently; his gaze sparkled with deep concern as he brushed away one strand of her golden hair and rested his palm on her cheek.

"Are you alright?" Not trusting her voice, Elerrina simply nodded her head. She could hear in his voice that the question was no referring only to the running orcs, but that he knew that something else had disturbed her. She could feel his heavy gaze on her and hear the edge of guilt that his voice carried. He felt responsible for endangering their lives by wondering out in the dark. She hated the guilty look in his usually sparkling and carefree eyes. She felt the need to distract him, to lift his spirits.

"Should we return and find out if the feast is still going? I wonder if Elrohir succeeded in avoiding that lady for the length of the night" She said trying to sidetrack both of their anxious minds into a lighter mood.

She saw him furrow his brow in deep confusion and look at her as if she had gone insane before he erupted in laughter. The sound was the sweetest sound that had ever reached her ears and she delighted in it, letting out some giggles in return.

"You are wonderful" he said fully grinning. Before her racing mind could register his movements, he leaned in and placed a quick kiss on her lips. She felt all the borrowed images and feelings, the dark memories and the fear, vanish entirely from her body as his lips touched hers. He certainly knew how to distract her.

"Now, Ro had better been successful in avoiding her because otherwise he would have deprived me from dancing with you longer for no reason."

The playful mischievousness had returned to his voice and she smiled widely at him using his twin bother's nickname. She had heard both of the twins being called by nicknames before by other elves in the household: Dan and Ro. It made her imagine them as little elflings running around certainly with no angelical purpose in mind.

"And in that case, what is _Dan_ going to do?" He looked at her, surprised at her use of his own nickname, one of his eyebrows arching up questioningly as he grinned widely.

"Well, in that case, _Dan_ is going to murder _Ro_ for stealing _Rina_ from him"

Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow at him, but she could not help a smile from accompanying it. Rina. She had never really had a childhood nickname for Naeraviel had always called her by her full name, yet the sound of the shortened name leaving his lips made her heart melt.

He was staring at her smiling, his grey eyes bearing deeply into her own green ones and she let herself be absorbed into the loving stare. For a moment she wished they could forget about the feast and the rest of the elves, forget about the running orcs, the images inside her head, their need to return and deliver the news to the mighty Elf-Lord, but she knew they could not. She saw his smile fade as he too realized that they needed to go back into the house.

"Let us go back" he said resting his right hand softly on her back and nudging her forward. As he started leading their way back through the labyrinth of trees and flowers, Elerrina took one last glance at the garden holding the bridge and gazebo. She knew that the image of that precise garden, with the dark waters and white petals shining in silver and platinum under the pale moonlight, would be engraved on her mind for the rest of her life; as well as the image of the eldest son of Elrond sitting silently on the corner bench with his night dark hair falling down his back as his liquid silver eyes reflected the stars above.

In short minutes, they had reached the ample terrace that led into the great hall holding the feast. Inside, elves continued to dance to the sweet music, or sing joyful melodies, or engage in conversations all around the many tables. The party seemed completely undisturbed, although she noticed that the number of elves had reduced significantly since she and Elladan had last been in the hall.

She saw Elrohir walk in quick paces towards them as soon as he saw his twin brother enter the room. His grey eyes looked worried as he rushed to Elladan's side sparing only a quick glance at her before his eyes fixed again on his mirror image. He must have known that something was amiss and she guessed that he had felt his twin's distress.

"Where is Ada?" asked Elladan in a low voice and Elerrina was one again surprised at how exactly alike the twins looked.

"He left the hall some time ago, I do not believe that he has retired for the night for I noticed Glorfindel rushed behind him. What is the matter?"

There was deep concern imbedded in the younger twin's voice as he spoke lowly to avoid being overheard. Taking a look around, Elerrina confirmed that the Elf-Lord was nowhere to be seen, as well the golden haired Balrog Slayer.

Elladan had not stopped walking, crossing the entire hall in large steps with Elrohir strolling next to him, their shoulders nearly touching. She felt unsure of whether she should follow the twins in their search for Lord Elrond, but Elladan's hand firmly holding hers told her to walk along.

"Orcs" whispered Elladan in barely audible voice, and she saw Elrohir's eyes widen in surprise at the news. She saw grey eyes meet grey in a prolonged silence as a conversation in which she could not participate took place.

"That is alarmingly close" whispered Elrohir as they exited the now less crowded hall and hurried down the empty corridors of the house. "Do you think Ada knows by now?"

Elladan threw a quick glance at her before answering to his brother

"I believe he does"

Elerrina felt relieved that he had not elaborated in the subject or mentioned her at all. She saw Elrohir glance at her again as if suddenly remembering that she was also present. She saw his grey eyes travel from her face to his twin and then to their entwined hands. A chuckle escaped his lips as he looked at Elladan with both of his eyebrows raised.

"So what _were_ you up to when you saw the orcs?" he said grinning playfully earning only a smack on the back of his head from his brother. The action only produced another chuckle from the younger twin who merely rolled his eyes and continued walking in silence, a mischievous grin still placed on his lips.

However his grin disappeared as they reached the large pair of beautifully carved oak doors that led to Elrond's study. These doors were not new to her and, like the last time she had been there, they made her feel nervous of what awaited at the other side. Elrohir cracked the door open without knocking and walked inside without announcing himself. Elladan followed close behind, and she would have stayed outside had not been for his grip on her dragging her along. Both of the twins walked confidently, comfortable in the familiar room, but to her it felt inappropriate to enter without knocking. She felt like a child intruding into a room for the grown-ups.

The familiar room held the same welcoming warmth that it had had the night she had first entered, and a cracking fire danced vividly on the fireplace. However, there was no one sitting behind the large oak desk, nor on the comfortable seats near the fire. For a short moment Elerrina thought the room was empty until she noticed two figures with their backs to them, standing on the balcony.

The dark haired Elf-Lord was facing out into the valley below, both of his hands holding tight to the railing as he leaned heavily on it. His head was slumped down, as he stood unmoving seeming not to have noticed their presence. Glorfindel stood to his left, his stare fixed on his lord and friend and his right hand rested on the other elf's shoulder as if to offer some kind of comfort or support.

The twins had stopped in the middle of the room, waiting patiently for their presence to be acknowledged and she imitated them. Glorfindel was the first of the two to notice them as he glanced quickly towards them before turning his gaze back to the unmoving Elf-Lord. The prolonged silence felt loud to her, louder than anything she had heard.

Finally Elrond straightened up and slowly turned around to face the newcomers. He looked tired and his storm grey eyes that seemed to pierce her, usually filled with wisdom and kindness, now looked troubled and pained. His eyes met hers for a moment as the ring whispered calmly on his finger, and she knew then to whom the visions really belonged. She had felt with the images the same presence that she had felt when he had spoken into her mind, and she could see reflected in his eyes all the borrowed emotions that she had felt accompanying the images. However, if he knew that she had seen in his visions, he did not show it.

His ageless brow was furrowed in both worry and sadness as he silently motioned with a hand for them to take a seat by the fireplace. Elrohir sat down on one of the comfortable chairs and Elladan signaled for her to take the other while he sat on the chair's arm. Elrond took the seat in front of them but Glorfindel remained standing, placing himself tall behind the Elf-Lord. Elerrina felt his blue eyes observing her and she looked down, unwilling to meet his gaze.

"Ada, there are orcs in the borders. They are too close, I had never seen them this close to Imladris before" Elladan was he first to speak and the worried Elf-Lord turned to face his eldest son.

"I am aware of that" Elrond's voice was calmed and composed as he addressed Elladan, his ruler's attitude taking over as they discussed the safety of his realm. "How many did you see?"

"Sixty at the least. They were right upon us, too close to even give us time for a run after we heard the forest's warnings. What worries me was their behavior. They ran with a purpose, not in their disorganized usual manner. They ran past us without bothering to stop. Some did lurk around once they had smelled us, but continued their run without searching further. We would have been an easy target."

Elrohir looked attentively at his twin, his eyes shot with worry at the new information. Elrond sighed heavily and closed his eyes at the news. When he opened them again Elerrina thought she could see a hint of fear hidden in them.

"Sixty is only a part of them, I am afraid. There are more of them. Many more." The still fresh images of the three groups of running orcs flipped through her mind again as she remembered flying over them before finally looking at the immense group of waiting ones. She knew that image would haunt her sleep.

"Did you see them?" Asked Elrohir suddenly, looking at his father expectantly. The Elf-Lord nodded his head slowly before answering.

"I have seen them only a half an hour ago." His grey eyes turned to look at her intently and she felt them piercing into her green ones. She wanted to look away but his powerful gaze held her still, commanding her to look into his eyes, and she did not dare disobey. "And so have you, I believe"

Here is another chapter, I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think of it!

Love,

Elena


	18. What Ties Us Together

Elerrina could feel the four pairs of eyes in the room turn to look at her, piercing into her like daggers. Part of her mind wished for her to sink deep into the comfortable chair and disappear, but she remained still, her eyes frozen inside the powerful grey pair of Elrond's. So he did know his visions had been shared, although, if what she had seen was the entirety of them or merely glimpses, she did not know. And did not want to know.

"Well of course. She and Elladan both saw them Ada. Elladan just said they ran past them"

Elrohir was the first to speak, completely misunderstanding the meaning of the Elf-Lord's words. Elladan, however, remained silent. His eyes were looking at his father and his still frame sitting on the arm of her chair told her that he had not missed what Elrond meant.

"What do you intend to say with she saw them? Are you referring to your visions?" asked Elladan directly to his father, both elves completely ignoring the confused Elrohir whose gaze now darted to her, wide eyes studying her figure as if he had never seen her before.

"Precisely"

The Lord of Imladri's voice was calmed and composed as he turned to look into his eldest son's eyes. She would have thought he was merely having a conversation at a dinner table had it not been for the way in which he reached a hand to his temple, his elbow resting on the chair's wide arm.

"How is that possible?" The voice of the golden haired warrior made her suddenly remember of his presence in the room. His ice blue eyes had finally left her to look down to the worried Elf-Lord, his voice hinted with confusion.

"Why did I see through you, my Lord?" Elerrina barely recognized her voice for she had not thought she had the courage in herself to voice the question that plagued her mind. She felt the silvery grey eyes of Master of Rivendell gaze at her quietly, imbedded with the knowledge of many millennia.

"I believe it was me who saw through you, Elerrina" She felt herself go cold at his words and her heart stopped inside her chest. The look in his grey eyes was the same wary expression that he had given her on the night she first saw the ring on his right hand, as if judging whether or not she was threat.

"The visions were not mine, my Lord" She was sure of that part: the images had not been produced by her mind. Elrond nodded his hear slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"That is correct. The visions belonged to me. But I believe it was you who showed them to me." After a moment of silence in which every pair of eyes seemed to direct itself to the dark haired Elf-Lord, he continued explaining.

"I heard Vilya's restlessness and I summoned it to look through the valley. I had forgotten the connection you have with the ring, a connection that I do not completely understand. Every vision I called went also through your head, if I am not mistaken, in a chain reaction. You can see Vilya, and now I confirm that you can see through Vilya, and therefore, as I wield it, through me. And yet, my visions were of no use. I could hear the warning, but could find no danger whatsoever, nothing was out of place."

Elerrina felt the quickly flying images of the river, different parts of the forest, waterfalls, streets, cliffs and more parts of the forest return to her mind. What she had seen had been the Elf-Lord's search through the valley's perimeter. She felt embarrassed as his eyes continued to pierce into hers, she felt as if she had intruded in something she was not supposed to see. Yet she did not move, she fought to keep her expression frozen in place, her green eyes staring steadily into the silver ones, awaiting the rest of the explanation.

"What surprised me deeply was when the chain inverted itself. It was then that I noticed I had shared all the images with you for I then found myself on the receiving end of the chain. I saw the orcs through your eyes as they ran below you two. After you had seen them with your eyes, I was able to find them in my visions and I saw the rest of them. Three other groups farther west, and a large one steady in place. What concerns me is that if you had not ran into them, I would not have been able to see them."

The words floated tensely in the air. All the elves that occupied the warm room seemed lost in them, minds working quickly, absorbing the new information. She remained frozen on her seat, as she had been for the entirety of the conversation. Her eyes were kept locked in the grey pair that seemed to scrutinize her very soul. Her mind was racing, if either because of new questions or fear, she did not know, but the rest of her body seemed to have deserted her, not responding to her anxious mind.

She could hear the ring and see it gracefully glowing upon the Elf-Lords right hand. And yet she had not imagined that the fascinating jewel could hold a connection to her mind, a thread that therefore also linked her to Elrond's mind. So that was the reason why he had been able to speak into her head a couple of hours ago. It was because of that link between their minds, but they were not directly linked. It was a chain, and the piece that enabled the connection, that allowed for the sharing of images and words, sat elegantly on Lord Elrond's third finger.

"That explains how they got so close to the Valley" Elrohir's voice broke the silence like shattering glass. His eyes travelling quickly form his brother to his father and to Glorfindel, as if not sure if any of them could answer his question.

"A blind spot" whispered Elladan and she turned her yes to look into his face but his serious and worried expression on his handsome features gave her little comfort.

"This is not a coincidence." She saw Elrohir lower his eyes to his lap, frustration clearly reflected on his face. "Three groups of orcs behaving that way and managing to get this close to the borders completely out your sight, is not a coincidence"

"They remind me of…"Elladan's slow voice trailed of as he exchanged a look with his twin, equal pairs of silver eyes looking puzzled and concerned at the same time.

"Of the group we encountered while on our trip. When we found Elerrina. It is not the usual behavior. They must be acting under guidance."

Elrohir finished his twin's sentence, looking directly at his father. The Elf-Lords brow was furrowed deep in thought and if he had any opinion about the matter he kept it quiet for the moment.

"Then, whoever or whatever it is that is guiding them knows about your powers. They must know about it to be able to create blind spots. Although I still do not comprehend how this is possible" She saw Elladan hold his head in his hands in a clear act of frustration.

"Did they see you?" Glorfindel's eyes dance from her to Elladan as he voiced the question. "Did any of the orcs see you? Or do they still believe they run unseen?"

"No. They did not see us" Answered Elladan lifting his head to look at the golden haired warrior.

"Good. They were not counting that she would work as our window. I could have a patrol ready to part by the morning if you whish so, my Lord"

Glorfindel was looking at Elrond, waiting for the Lord of Imladris to decide what should be done. His serious gaze held a glint of pain as he watched upon the dark haired elf, almost as if he regretted the inevitable pressure that now fell on his friend's shoulders.

"Should we attack fist?" said Elrohir from her right.

"No." The Elf-Lord's firm reply made all pairs of eyes turn directly towards him, expectant. "That would be foolish. We do not know their number, nor do we know their intentions. We will play it as if we had not seen them, if an ambush into valley is in their minds, it will work to our advantage if they believe we are unprepared. However, we do not know if this is the case, perhaps they travel somewhere else"

"No orc ventures so close to an elven realm while travelling! Are you going to do nothing while they prepare to attack?" Said Elladan suddenly, his voice agitated with anxiousness as he jumped from the seat's arm.

"We still do not know and I am not going to make assumptions on the matter, Elladan!" Elrond rose to his feet as he spoke, his voice raised and filled with unquestionable authority while his stern eyes bore into those of his eldest son. She could feel the tension, the fears, the concerns, all floating in the air, making it so heavy it felt hard to breathe. After a moment, Elladan sat down again, reminded that the decision was not his to make.

"Forgive me" she heard him say as he calmed down some of his anxiety and tried to think rationally. She wanted to hold his hand and offer as little comfort as she could, but every part of her body seemed to have been turned into stone, and she remained merely an observer in the agitated room.

Elrond sighed as he sunk back into his chair, his eyes closed and a hand to his temple. All traces of the mighty Elf-Lord who had just reminded his son of his place completely gone.

"Glorfindel" The Balrog Slayer turned quickly to the low voice of his Lord. "Send a patrol tomorrow morning to run the perimeter. Tell not to go out of the borders, it is not safe."

"Yes, my Lord"

"And is Erestor still awake? I want him to appoint a council meeting early tomorrow."

"I will send someone to find him"

"Thank you"

With that, the golden haired elf walked past them and exited the room. The shutting door echoed loudly in the stunning silence and in the room roamed a feeling of emptiness. Both of the twins kept their gazes fixed on their father, their expressions now gentle, concerned and troubled. There was nothing left for them to do at the moment, and yet she could sense by their frozen figures that neither wanted to leave the Elf-Lord by himself.

Slowly, Elrond rose to his feet and walked towards the large oak desk that laid some feet to their left. She saw him lean his weight on the polished surface, his back to them as he let his head hang down, looking into the many neat piles of paper.

"Ada.." Whispered Elrohir as he too stood and started to approach the elder elf, stopping only halfway, unsure if he should continue. His barely audible voice was trailed with sadness and concern.

Elladan imitated his twin almost instantly, though silently. He stood there, his shoulder next to his replica's as equal pairs of hurting silver eyes stared at the Elf-Lord's back. Not sure of what to do, Elerrina stood up, but remained by her seat. Her body responded to her again, as if the tense spell that held her frozen in place had finally broken. She felt uncomfortable in the room at that moment, like an extra person in the family reunion.

As if he had heard her thoughts, Elladan turned to look at her, his silver eyes gentle as wide grey orbs that welcomed her openly. The lightest of smiles appeared on his lips as he motioned for her to go to him, the pained edge in his smile making her heart sink to the ground.

Silently she walked to his side, unwilling to break contact with those silver eyes that brought peace to her racing mind, even in their troubled form. She took comfort in his closeness and silently he reached for her hand, entwining his fingers in hers and leaning his cheek on the top of her head. She felt useless at the moment, and hoped that he too could get comfort from her presence as he continued to stare at his father's back.

"Ada.." whispered Elrohir again, the sound so soft that she started to doubt Elrond had heard it.

"Go to sleep, my sons" Came the Elf-Lord's calmed and soothing reply. "There is nothing more you can do for now. Get some rest; you must be tired. You too, Elerrina."

The twins hesitated for a second before they decided to comply with their father's request. Slowly they walked towards the pair of wooden doors, Elladan still holding Elerrina's hand firmly. Elrohir opened one of the heavy doors and stepped out into the large corridor, she and Elladan following behind.

"You too should also rest, Ada" said Elladan softly, sparing one last glance at the only figures left in room before he closed the door behind him.

Outside, the air felt lighter, free from the troubles that had placated their minds. As they silently made their way through the deserted corridors of the house, the conversation that had taken place in the Lord's study became more distant to her, as if it had happened in a different day and time. The silence made the house feel bigger and the corridors longer, and soon she did not know for how long they had been walking but to her it felt like hours.

They twins led her through areas of the house she had not yet seen, climbing up multiple elegant staircases and crossing regally adorned halls. She wondered if once they reached her chamber she would find Faelilla there, as she had the night before. She wondered if she would be able to sleep at all for the rest of the night, or if her many unanswered questions and horrific images would keep her awake.

Finally they stopped at the end of an ample corridor, facing another beautifully carved wooden door. She could not see it clearly in the darkness, but knew that it was not the door leading to her own bedchamber. Elladan pushed the door open and walked inside the room, dragging her along with him and Elrohir following behind, entering last.

The room was a beautiful bedchamber, brightly lighted by many candles. She had not seen a bedchamber as big as this one before in her life, and it suddenly made her own chamber here in Rivendell, with its fine lavender tones, seem small. An oversized bed laid at the center of the room, its pale gold covers shinning in oranges under the candlelight, and the thin tree branch design of the wooden headboard was a craft to admire. An ample rounded balcony emerged from one side of the room, three times as big as the one in her chamber, and she noticed that this one overlooked the whole valley. She could see the faint lights form the tiny houses and the thin platinum gleam of the many waterfalls, all framed by the heavy pale gold curtains. It was Elladan's bedchamber.

She saw Elrohir throw himself on the bed comfortably, a sudden grin on his lips as he looked at his twin with his eyebrows raised.

"So what _exactly_ happened tonight?" She could hear the mischievousness in his tone as his eyes travelled to their entwined hands. "Did you finally kiss her?"

She heard herself chuckle as a round pillow landed flatly on Elrohir's face.

"Go to your room" Said Elladan and she guessed that he had tried to sound annoyed at his brother for teasing him, but could not hide a wide grin from appearing on his lips.

"Oh _believe me_, I have no intention in staying here" With his wicked grin still on his face and his mischievous eyes looking teasingly at his brother, Elrohir got up from the bed and started to walk to the other door in the room. She guessed the door probably connected to the other twin's bedchamber.

"May I?" she asked turning to Elladan and pointing towards the large balcony. She felt like a child asking a question like that, and knew that Elladan would not mind, but felt that she needed to ask permission since it was not her room.

"Of course." Said Elladan looking at her with puzzled eyes. "You do not need to ask"

Giving him a soft smile in return, she made her way to the elegant balcony, her green eyes dazzled by the view of the entire valley before her eyes. It looked so peaceful under the stars, and the rippling sound of falling water murmured a sweet lullaby to the sleeping forest. The tranquility of the sight made her forget all the events of the night, easily erasing all the troubling visions from her mind as her own ears welcomed the song from the cascading waters.

She heard Elladan approach from behind her, and seconds later she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist as he rested his chin on her left shoulder. She could feel his face right next to hers, their cheeks brushing slightly as she relaxed under the sound of his steady breath.

"If you would rather go to your own chambers I can take you there, but you are welcome to sleep here if you would like" He whispered softly in her ear, his voice so honest and concerned that made her feel that, in that moment, he needed her more than she needed him.

"I would like to stay"

She turned around in his arms to face him and wrapped both of her arms around his torso, resting her head lightly on his chest. She felt him place a gentle kiss on the top her head as he softly started stroking her long golden hair with one hand, the other still holding her close to him. They remained in silence, simply standing, until the lullaby from the waterfalls slowly started to drift her away, her mind dancing now to the soft melody as she gave herself to the mercy of her dreams, feeling safe in the arms of the son of Elrond, even if she knew what her dreams would bring to her: Dead bodies floating on the red colored river, and a pair of lifeless green eyes staring blankly at the empty sky above.

Finally here is chapter 18! Let me know what you think of it please! I hope you enjoy it!

Love,

Elena


	19. Memories Of The Morning

_She was standing in the middle of the forest. The canopy of trees above her was so heavy that the scarce light able to filter through it traced defined golden lines that danced between the green branches. _

_Elerrina turned around, trying to study her surroundings, but the density of the forest was such that she could barely see anything past the trees. The leaves swayed gracefully, dancing at the soft rhythm of a breeze she could not feel. She could not hear them either, it was as if she was only allowed to see the forest, but not really inhabit it. There was no sound and no smell, only the void image of the green vegetation surrounding her. _

_She took a couple of steps forward, but the grass under her feet appeared undisturbed, and she could not feel the tickling it usually caused as it caressed her bare feet. She tried touching one of the robust tree trunks, but her hand only made contact with a plain surface, the feeling unknown to her fingers. It was neither cold nor hot, soft nor hard. She could see the wrinkles in the tree's wood and could imagine how it felt to trace them, but her fingers could not find them. It was as if the senses had been forbidden to her, and she had only been allowed to silently observe, deprived of any kind of interaction. _

_Looking to the front, she noticed that the heavy canopy of the forest opened slightly, leading into a small clearing. She crystal waters of a peaceful stream shimmered vividly under the scarce sunlight as they ran animatedly, splashing into tiny wet rocks. Once again, she was surprised by the fact that she could not hear the water as it flowed. The stream was shallow; barely a couple of feet in depths, and the completely visible bottom was composed of many tiny rocks of different shades of browns and blacks. _

_However, the stream was not what caught her attention. On the other side of the river, across from her, laid a small figure. The tiny body of a child, merely three or four years old, she thought, was crouched on a rock at the edge of the water. A small white hand extended over the crystalline surface, making small ripples with its tiny fingers. Light blond hair covered the child's head, and it fell gracefully over his tiny shoulders, hiding his lowered face from her view. Looking closely, Elerrina noticed his pointed ears. It was an elfling._

_Like everything else around her, the little elf was oblivious to her presence, and she could only stare at his graceful tiny body as it innocently played with the crystal waters. She could see his little mouth moving to the song of a mute melody as he kept his eyes looking down into the water, hidden under large lashes. _

_Suddenly, the elfling turned his face to look behind him, his hand retiring from the water in a fast movement, and his blond hair dancing slightly around his face. She could see his left cheek rise in what was a wide smile, but the smile she could not see for all that was facing her was the little elf's back now. _

_She watched him stand up and quickly dry his wet hand on his tunic before jumping into a fast run. His little feet moved quickly over the damp grass and his arms danced at his side before extending to his front. _

_Although the child ran away from her, he was not getting any farther. What changed was the forest around her, and she noticed how the dense trees had transformed into elegant columns, and the clearing had seemed to open into the shape of a large hall. The room was so bright that it was blinding, and the shape of the tall columns seemed to disappear into the light before she could see the ceiling above. The whole room seemed to vanish into a bright white, and she could not see any edge of it. _

_She saw a tall elven lady, dressed in pure white, standing before a golden throne at one end of the room. Her face held a wide smile as she opened her arms welcoming the elfling who did not think it twice before he flung himself into the open arms. His tiny arms reached around the lady's neck, wrapping them securely in place, as his face shone with the expression of an unheard squeal of joy. _

_The lady was looking at him, smiling widely as she pressed her nose to his tiny one before placing a kiss on the elfling's forehead. Her long golden hair danced gracefully around her delicate features as she continued to stare lovingly at the tiny elfling in her arms, her face looking away from Elerrina. _

_Suddenly, the delighted elfling lifted his face to look at her, a pair of innocent eyes meeting Elerrina's, staring deeply into her, acknowledging her presence. For the first time, she was able to see his face. A smile singing with unheard laughter was still placed on his lips, and his eyes met hers with recognition, trapping her in a gaze of a very familiar infinite blue…_

Elerrina blinked twice to find that the bright hall and the figures inside it had disappeared. She was comfortable under the soft covers of an overly large bed, and it took her a moment to remember where she was.

The long pale gold curtains had been pulled closed and the bright morning light filtered dimly inside the large bedroom, casting reflections in gold over the furniture. She guessed it must have been early in the morning, for everything was quiet.

The image of the light haired elfling remained still fresh in her head, his large blue eyes still looking into her, glowing with the purest innocence. Silently, Elerrina sat up on the bed, the warm pale gold covers sliding form her shoulders. Her green eyes danced around the room until they spotted what she had been looking for.

Elladan laid on his side, fast asleep on a couch to her left, his head and left hand resting peacefully over a soft pillow taken from the bed. His dark hair laid splattered over the white pillowcase, all the braids undone as it fell loose covering his shoulders and part of his face. He must have been tired the night before for he was still in his formal light blue robe, which did not look comfortable to sleep in. Looking down she noticed that she was also still in her pale green dress from the night before.

She did not remember going to bed, and she guessed that she must have fallen asleep in his arms at the balcony. She did remember his hand softly stroking her hair, and a wave of tiredness washing over her, following his gentle movements. He must have carried her to the bed, and she could not help feeling a pang of guilt as she watched him sleep on a couch in his own bedroom, while she laid comfortable and warm on the bed. A bed so large that she did not even occupy half of it.

As silently as she could as to not wake the sleeping Elladan, Elerrina slipped out of bed, shivering slightly when her bare feet touched the cold floor. She pulled the pale gold covers from the bed and placed them gently over Elladan, covering him up to his shoulders. She breathed a sigh of relief when he did not wake but continued to peacefully sleep, and a smile grew on her lips as his hand reached unconsciously to grasp the warm covers, pulling them tightly up to his chin.

Searching to distract her mind, Elerrina proceeded to explore the room. Every piece of furniture was exquisitely carved in delicate details, making the heavy wood seem weightless, like everything else inside the house. A small night stand was placed to the right of the bed, and a silver pitcher rested lightly on the flat surface, along with an upside down crystal glass and a book.

Taking the book in her hands, she tenderly opened it, enjoying the ever so silent sound of the thick pages as they turned. However, inside she only found the elegant scribble of the elvish language she could not read. Laying it closed back on the night stand, Elerrina made her way towards a large bookshelf placed in a corner of the room.

She let her fingers dance over the backs of the many books standing on the shelves, lost in the variety of thickness, colors and heights. She chose a tall, green-colored one and pulled it out slowly, softly scanning through the various pages. Once again, her eyes met the elegant scribble that was strange to her. Closing it up, she returned to its place before pulling out a different one, this time a blue one from the shelf below, slightly heavier than the first one. The yellow pages also contained the elvish scribble, but as she turned the pages she could also see some detailed drawings of maps, a thing slightly more interesting than only words in a strange language.

She closed the book and placed it back on its place, her eyes searching for another one to open. She spotted a red one placed nearly at the middle of a shelf. Its leather binding did not look old, but it looked as if it had been touched many times. Slowly she pulled it out and opened it right at the middle.

This time, what met her eyes was not the elegant elvish calligraphy, but drawings traced delicately in black ink. She recognized some trees and plants and the shapes of a river and a waterfall. Turning the pages she saw all sorts of figures delineated in the black ink: some elves, more trees, tables, chairs, fruits, horses. The themes seemed to range from the simplest things to the most complicated ones. The drawings were simple, the elements simplified only to the most basic shapes, and some places held dark spots of ink that fallen on the page during the process. She smiled widely at the very cute clumsy lines of the drawings, the proportions were all wrong. Turning to the first page of the book, she saw a shaky handwriting that read _Elladan _in the middle of the page, clearly produced by the hand of a small elfling.

Elladan stirred from his place on the couch and Elerrina turned around to face him. She watched him as he slowly sat up pulling the covers down to his lap, a hand running through his dark hair, pulling it back from his face. His eyes moved across the room until they fixed on her, and she felt the stare of liquid silver eyes on her green ones. He blinked a couple of times, probably trying to wake up completely.

"Good morning" she said softly, unable to hide the smile that appeared on her lips at the sight of his silver eyes piercing hers. She closed the book and returned it to its place on the shelf before she made her way towards where he sat.

"Good morning" He replied as he swung his legs to the side of the couch. "Have you been awake for long? You could have woken me."

She shook her head as she sat next to him.

"I awoke only a couple of minutes ago, not long at all."

Truth is she would have never allowed herself to disturb him from his sleep. He had looked so peaceful that she had even wished he had slept or longer, although the sight of his grey eyes, already sparkling with his carefreeness made her glad to see him awake.

"Thank you for this" He said as he signaled to the pale gold covers with one hand.

"It is yours. You could have slept on the bed, you know?"

He grinned widely and shook his head as he stood up and made his way towards the large curtains that kept the light from filling the room.

"I did not know if you would be comfortable with that" he said as he slowly pulled all the curtains open, the bright morning light sparkling over the pale gold fabric and she squinted involuntarily as her eyes adjusted to the light.

Outside, the valley seemed completely at peace making all the horrifying images from the night before seem only a distant nightmare. For a moment she wonder if patrols had been sent to run around the valley; if the Lord of Imladris was indeed in council discussing about the new danger now close to their borders; if the waking elves even knew of what traveled just around the perimeter of their safe sanctuary.

Elladan walked back to the couch and sat down next to her. He took her hand in his and lifted it to his mouth, placing a light kiss on its back. She could not help the light shiver that ran down her spine as his lips brushed her skin.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked softly, his grey eyes piercing into her and once again she felt herself drowning in a pool of silver. She nodded her head lightly, not breaking the stare.

"Did you dream about me?" A mischievous grin accompanied his question and his eyes sparkled playfully as he leaned closer to her. She raised her eyebrows in a questioning look, a wide smile on her lips. He could be so dashing if he wanted to, and yet she knew just exactly how to answer to his game.

"No" she said flatly as she took her hand back and placed it on her lap. He raised one disbelieving eyebrow at her and she felt the corner of her lips curve up in a grin as she thought of the words she would say next.

"I dreamt about Legolas" It was not a lie.

She saw his eyes widen in surprise, completely caught of guard at her words, his mouth hanging open. The expression of his face was one of a child who has just been told there would be no Christmas that year. She heard him huff and look away, his eyes sparkling with anger.

Elerrina laughed lightly and reached for his hands, her touch making him turn to look back at her. His eyes were suspicious, waiting patiently for an explanation on her part. Yet he looked as if he was trying to figure out whether or not se was only playing with him.

"Not in the way you are thinking" she said still laughing. His face relaxed at her words and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"And in which way am I thinking?" he teased her now fully smiling. However the smile did not last long as he understood the totality of her words. His smile fell slowly and his eyes looked into her, liquid silver touched with a look of sadness and worry.

"You did dream about him" he whispered lightly, his brow furrowed in concern and hurt, and she turned her eyes to her lap, her smile disappearing in the process.

She wanted to tell him about her dream, perhaps he knew something she did not, but in that moment she would do anything to make that look disappear from his handsome face.

His hand reached for her chin, lifting it so she could meet his eyes once again. His expression was now only of deep concern, as if he somehow knew that her dream troubled her.

"Elerrina?" his voice was a barely audible whisper, the sound of her name leaving his lips making her heart melt. He brushed his right hand softly over her cheek as his silver eyes pierced her.

"Tell me about it"

And she would tell him. She would tell him every detail of the dream, a part of her longing and wishing that he knew something she did not, an answer to one of her many questions. The other part complying simply because there was nothing she could deny him.

I apologize for the long wait. Im once again out of the country and have limited access to the internet. I will try to update the next chapter as soon as I can. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter! Let me know what you think!

Love,

Elena


	20. In The Mirror Of Water

Long minutes stretched into what felt like hours to her. She remained silent, her eyes staring deeply into the warm gaze of silver, waiting desperately for a reaction on his part. Elladan was looking at her confused, his eyes studying her as if in deep concentration. He had listened patiently as she described the dream in detail, but had not said a single word since.

She wanted to look away, but instead she held her gaze still, allowing is piercing eyes to penetrate into the depths of her dark green orbs. Finally he opened his mouth and let the words escape his lips, her ears delighting in the sound of his calmed, soothing voice.

"Do you remember seeing him anywhere other than a dream?" He spoke slowly, as if having a casual conversation over the dinner table.

"No, I do not. Nor do I remember ever seeing those places before."

"Is it the first time you have this dream?"

"Yes" she admitted in a whisper. His lips curved up in a soft smile as his right hand reached to gently brush her cheek. His left hand gripped hers and gave it a light squeeze.

"Do not worry about it. Let it rest for now."

She returned his smile and nodded her head lightly. They already had many things to concentrate on at the moment, and she trusted blindly in his judgment. He was well more experienced and wise than her, and she knew that whatever decision he would take would be taken with reason. Yet she could see a glint of suspicion in his eyes that told her that her dream intrigued him more than he was letting her see.

"Now you tell me what you dreamt of" she said, trying to lighten up the conversation into a more casual one, her smile only growing wider. She saw his eyes sparkle with mischievousness as his soft smile turned into a gin.

"No"

"Not even a part of it?" she asked, curiosity now invading her at his playful refusal. His face glowed with enjoyment and she could tell he liked her need to insist.

"No" he answered once again, his eyes staring at her with their characteristic carefreeness.

"Why not?" she could not control her desire to know from growing intensively at his continuous refusal. She could not care less about the dream anymore, he could have dreamt about nothing at all and she would not mind. All she wanted now was for him to tell her, to give in.

"Simply because"

His grin had now grown wider and she sighed in defeat. With a new grin on her face, Elerrina moved a little forward on the couch, sitting closer to him as she grasped both of his strong hands in hers. Her eyes searched his, wide and pleading, and he met them without the slightest hesitation.

"And if I plead?" she asked softly, trying to make him give in to her, using the power she knew she had over him, the same power that he had over her. However, he merely laughed at her attempt, the sound the sweetest her ears had ever and would ever hear. In a quick movement he closed the gap between the two, placing a light kiss on her lips, and momentarily she forgot about everything else.

"Your curiosity is something I will never quite fully comprehend" he said, still laughing lightly.

"Did you enjoy yourself looking through my collection of books?" he tilted his head in the direction of the elegantly carved bookshelf and she felt somewhat embarrassed for searching through his stuff without his consent.

"I apologize for that, I should have asked you but you were asleep." She explained softly but he waved it off with a hand as he smiled at her.

"You can look through them as much as you wish." She smiled at his words as she let herself drown in his eyes of liquid silver.

"You never mentioned you drew" she said teasingly as the images of his clumsy lines came back to her head.

"I believe you noticed that drawing is not my greatest gift"

"Yet, I find it surprising for someone who is so capable with his hands when holding a sword, to be so bad when holding a simple quill." He narrowed his eyes at her shaking his head, his face an expression of faked hurt.

"Now, they were not _that_ bad, Rina. Do not exaggerate" She felt her heart jump as his use of her new nickname. She wanted him to repeat it endlessly; to assure her that he was the only one allowed to call her that way, that she was his.

The sound of heavy curtains being softly pulled open in the room next door announced that the other twin had awakened. She saw a smile grow on Elladan's lips and a short moment later heard a knock on the door that connected the twin's bedchambers.

Without waiting for an answer, Elrohir walked into the room, once again surprising Elerrina in how exactly alike the two brothers looked. Unlike his twin or Elerrina, who were still dressed from the night before, he was wearing a light, dark blue sleeping tunic and pants. His honest, gray eyes met hers and he offered her a kind smile, his peaceful aura reaching her. And yet, his eyes still held some concern from the events of the night.

"Good morning, Elerrina, Elladan" He said politely as he walked towards where they sat. Both elves replied by wishing him a good morning also as they watched him sit on the large bed, facing them.

"Are you hungry? I asked for breakfast to be brought up here. I do not really wish to sit at the table today."

She felt the same that he did, and judging by the nod Elladan gave him, he too felt like avoiding the crowded table. She could feel the anxiousness, although slightly dulled, float on the air, and she knew the twins deeply disliked not knowing what would come next. She could feel their anguish and worry at knowing what laid outside the valley's borders without the security of knowing if it was indeed a threat or not.

Suddenly another set of images flew before her eyes, changing quickly from one to the other as she once again watched parts and pieces of the valley. She saw the forest, the river, cliffs, waterfalls, some streets, more parts of the forest, gardens. Lord Elrond was checking through the valley, and, from what she saw, everything seemed serene.

The vision only lasted a second, the images flickering so fast before her eyes that neither of the twins noticed her sudden absence. When the room came back into focus, she found them both still sitting in the exact position they had been one second ago.

"I guess there is really not much for us to do today," Elrohir was saying, looking directly at his twin as he spoke.

"We could spend the day out, go down by the waterfall. Legolas will probably want to join us." Elladan's words seemed to please Elrohir, for a wide smile grew on his lips.

"Would you also join us, Elerrina?" Elrohir's gaze met her and she was once again struck by the welcoming kindness that lived permanently in his gray eyes.

"I would love to" she answered widely smiling. A day out would probably be the kind of distraction they all needed. Elladan grinned at her and Elrohir nodded his head in response.

A light knock on the door made the three figures in the room turn their heads. Elladan stood up and walked to the carefully carved wooden door that led to the hallway outside. He opened it patiently to reveal fair elven maiden with long light blond hair, holding a large tray with their breakfast.

"Good morning, my lord" She said in a sweet melodious voice, slightly bowing her head in respect. Judging by the look in her eyes, Elerrina thought the young maiden did not really know which of the twins was the one standing in front of her.

"Thank you, Sylwen, and I hope you also have a good morning" Elladan answered politely, nodding his head to her. She walked past the dark-haired elf, her hands gripping the tray carefully with natural gracefulness. She lowered it gently on a small tale placed in the corner of the room, and made a small bow before turning around and silently exiting the bedchamber.

The smell of freshly baked pastries filled the room, and for the first time in the morning, Elerrina realized how hungry she was. The tray carried an arrangement of fresh fruits and some cheese, along with bread buns and three crystal glasses of orange juice.

The door had not yet completely closed behind Sylwen when Elrohir was already at the table, biting into one of the deliciously looking bread buns. Elladan grabbed two of the glasses and walked back to where she sat on the couch, handing her one. She accepted it and took a long sip of the refreshing liquid.

"Have you had a chance of going down to the waterfalls yet?" he asked her as he took his previous place next to her on the couch.

"No. I have not really had chance for much." She admitted. He smiled at her before speaking again, this time to his twin.

"Did you ask Adar if perhaps he wanted some breakfast brought to him also?" Elrohir looked up to his brother, silver meeting silver in an exchange of looks.

"I went to ask him, but he was not in his chambers. I doubt he has been there at all during the night." Both mirror images exchanged another look and Elerrina wondered if they were silently communicating.

The rest of the breakfast went down peacefully, conversation flowed lightly and easily between the three elves as they enjoyed the fresh food. Every once in a while she would drift out, her mind getting lost in the image of the blue-eyed elfling by the stream, but luckily for her none of the twins seemed to notice.

After they had eaten, Elladan walked her back to her room so she could change into a clean dress. She had to pay close attention to the numerous corridors and stairs they took, determined to learn how to get there, a task that was proving to be more difficult than she had thought possible. Not long after her arrival, Faelilla had shown up as she now did every morning. Elerrina felt a wave of happiness wash over her at the sight of the platinum haired elf with morning sky blue eyes.

Now washed and dressed in a clean simple dress, Elerrina found herself pacing once again through the corridors of house along with the twins and Legolas as they made their way out. Both of the twins were now dressed in clean equal dark green tunics. The dark color contrasted beautifully against their pale skin, making their silver eyes glow like stars over a dense forest. They looked exactly the same, and this time there was no difference in color to tell them apart.

The Prince was dressed in the palest of blues and Elerrina could not look at him without being reminded of the little elfling. However, when his eyes had met hers, they held none of the recognition they held on her dream. They were the same pair of infinite blue eyes, and yet the stare was so different.

"I saw two patrols go out early this morning, heading in opposite directions. Yet two more had parted only yesterday. Is something amiss?" asked the blond elf as the four descended down a wide staircase leading to the main hall.

"There is a large group of orcs near the borders. We do not know their intentions nor we know where they are headed." Explained Elrohir and Legolas furrowed his brow in concern and puzzlement. However, the Prince did not press the matter further and simply nodded his head in acceptance of the fragment of information he had received from the Son of Elrond.

They ran into Lord Elrond and a group of other elves as they walked through the main hall of the house. The Lord of Imladris looked as powerful and mighty as ever dressed in elegant robes of light gray, yet his eyes looked tired and held a faint glint of worry. Vilya glowed with a dull blue light on his hand but it remained quiet, and she had to use all of her will power not to stare at it.

Elrond smiled faintly at the sight of his sons and the twins walked directly towards their father, anxious for any kind of new information, Elladan almost dragging her as his hand held hers tightly.

"May I know what are you four up to this morning?" The Elf-Lord asked and the wave of peacefulness that always followed his calmed yet strong voice filled the room. His gray eyes met hers for only a short second before centering on his sons, and she felt as if he could hear every single one of her thoughts.

"We are going down to the waterfalls, spend some time outside." Answered Elladan and his father nodded his head slightly in response before asking another question to his sons.

"Has Glorfindel returned?"

"Not yet" this time it was Elrohir who answered, looking up to meet his father eyes, so like his. "I did not know he had also parted with the patrols, but he is not in the house."

"They parted early this morning, before sunrise." Confirmed the older elf.

"Has anything changed?" asked Elladan, and Elerrina felt that the twins were taking turns in asking the questions.

"Everything remains the same, there is yet no reason to be alarmed. Now go and enjoy your day." As the Elf-Lord spoke she saw his eyes travel down to the spot where Elladan's hand held hers tighly. She saw a proud smile appear on his lips, so faintly that she thought she had imagined it. However, he did not say a word as he turned and walked away, leaving the four elves to continue their way outside the house.

Outside the sun was already high in the sky, tracing dashes of gold on the soft grass, sparkling on the few yellow leaves of early autumn. They crossed many gardens, the fresh air feeling like a calming touch onside of her. It did not take them long before they reached a beautiful place down the heavy rocks leading to the river, where the water had calmed into a large crystal blue pool. A strong waterfall fed the natural pool, the sweet lullaby of the running water filling her ears as her nose delighted in the smell of damp rocks and grass.

Somewhere along the way, the twins had started an argument that seemed to have no end. At the beginning she had tried to understand what they were arguing about but had given up, finally understanding that they were not going to explain.

"I say we do it at dinner time, it is our best option" Elrohir pointed out firmly. Legolas and Elerrina were left staring in confusion, not able to participate in the conversation. The Prince had tried a couple of times to change the direction of their argument but every time it ended coming up again.

"And I say that is the worst idea you have ever had. I should add that you have had many bad ideas before."

"And I remind you that this one was _my_ idea."

"I want to hear you say that in front of Adar, once we get caught, a thing that will not happen if we do it early afternoon."

"Early afternoon will not work, Dan. It has to be dinner time."

Elerrina turned to look at Legolas, searching to find out if he was as lost in the conversation as she was. They had sat themselves at the edge of the water, and she was now tempted to jump into the clear pool, it looked too inviting.

"Do you know wha…" She asked in a low voice, but the elven prince answered before she could finish her question.

"I have no idea" he said as he shook his head, an amused smile on his lips as his deep blue eyes darted form one twin to the other.

"I am not even sure which one is which at this moment" he added, his eyes met hers and the image of the little elfling squealing in joy in the golden-haired lady's arms dashed through her mind. She did not blame him, in fact, she herself was starting to doubt if she could tell them apart at that moment. Elladan's gaze, which travelled to her every two minutes, was her only way knowing which twin was which.

"Are the patrols supposed to return this afternoon?" Legolas tried again and, for a minute, it seemed to work for both of the twins turned their silver eyes to meet his. Once again she felt the image of the elfling come back to her head at the sight of his eyes. Everything was so blurry and yet so clear, as if the answer to all of her questions was right there in front of her and all she had to do was remember. The water flowing in the deep pool made his eyes seem even more familiar, and yet she could not grasp any memory.

"Yes, we are expecting them this afternoon. Although it exists a great possibility that their arrival be delayed." Elrohir was the one to answer, momentarily forgetting about his argument.

"Most of the times they arrive sharp in time, though." Added Elladan.

"Which is exactly my point, _Elladan_. That is exactly why dinner time will be best." Legolas rolled his eyes in exasperation and she could not help but laugh loudly as his attempt failed once more. Meanwhile the twins remained one again lost in their cyclic argument.

"No, _Elrohir_. That is exactly why dinner time will be the worst time."

"You have no ide…"

"Would you two stop it?" she finally said looking from one twin to the other. Next to her Legolas was trying hard to suppress his laughter as both mirror images turned to look at her, eyebrows raised in a questioning look. Elrohir turned to look at his brother, a mischievous grin wide on his lips.

"Elladan, I believe your lady wants your attention back." Legolas burst into laughter, the sound floating in the air like wind chimes, and Elladan threw a deadly glare at his twin brother.

"She has my complete attention at every hour" She felt his eyes stare deeply into hers, looking at her lovingly while the softest of smiles emerged on his lips. Elrohir's teaseful grin transformed into one of pure happiness as he looked at his brother, his kind grey eyes glowing with joy.

At that moment she saw Legolas move closer to the water, his hand reaching to touch the mirror of the surface and she looked at him closely, following him to the edge of the rock, her brain burning with the image from her dream. Slowly, and casually he reached down, his hand meeting the water barely, a smile on his lips as he watched the undulations his touch produced on the water.

He did it once and then as soon as the small waves had died out he reached down again a produced a whole new set of undulations. She could see the image of her dream play endlessly inside her mind, a little blond elfling playing softly with t he water of the clear stream.

Without knowing what she was doing, or why she did she reached her hand down to the water, next to him. She waited until the outer wave produced by his hand reached the spot where she waited and then, she extended one of her fingers and touched the tiny wave ever so lightly, lifting it up quickly and doing the same as the next wave came. Her finger lowering softly to the water to touch the wave and then lifting quickly before touching the next one, until all of the waves had died out.

When she looked up she found his eyes staring into hers, deep infinite eyes of a light blue studying her, fixed in place. His expression was completely blank, perplexed as he looked at her in silence, then ever so slowly he reached down again and pressed his palm over the clear surface. Another wave of tiny ripples erupted from his touch, and, without knowing the reason, she repeated her task of lightly touching each of them with a finger. It simply felt natural to her.

After she was done, she looked back up to meet his eyes. Blue orbs gazing deeply into hers, confused, bewildered, then confused again. But the gaze was not the same gaze that had met her eyes in the morning. It was the gaze of the elfling, a sweet glint of recognition sparkling in his eyes as he stared at her this time.

Here is yet another chapter! I hope you like it, and please let me know your thoughts! I will be posting the next chapter soon.

Love,

Elena


	21. Sunshine Turns To Rain

Her voice had completely abandoned her. His light blue eyes kept staring into her green ones. He knew her; she could see it clearly in his eyes of infinite blue. The twins had reassumed their previous argument, but she could feel Elladan's silver eyes fixed on her, attentive.

"Who taught you that?" The prince's voice was casual, his head tilting slightly to the side. Elerrina shook her head, puzzled.

"No one." She said finally, her mind searching for an answer that would not come. "I do not know." She did not know what she was supposed to answer, she did not know if someone had indeed taught her that and she simply could not remember. Then another question popped into her mind.

"Taught me what?" He looked at her smiling.

"What you just did. The little game with the water"

She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again when no words came. He kept looking at her, smiling faintly as his eyes stared at her lost in thought.

"I had not seen anyone do that in years" he said shaking head, chuckling softly.

Elerrina opened her mouth again, but her words were silenced by a loud splash. She shrieked in surprise as drops of water suddenly splashed on her and used her hands in a failed attempt to shield herself. Legolas too held up his hands over his head but also to no avail.

She looked up to find Elrohir on the ground laughing hysterically. Legolas was also laughing loudly now, his eyes focused on the clear pool. Following his gaze, her eyes fell on the soaked image of Elladan emerging form the middle of the pool, the crystal blue water reaching to up to his shoulders. His silver eyes were opened wide, completely surprised as he moved his now wet dark hair from his face.

"You pushed me!" He yelled at his twin, his eyes still surprised and his mouth hanging open. Elrohir only grinned back at him.

"Me? I am innocent" he used his finger to point at himself, yet his eyes and wicked grin told exactly the opposite from his words. She could not help but laugh at the shocked expression still present in Elladan's handsome face.

Legolas looked at Elrohir, his eyes narrowing in concentration before they widened as his eyebrows shot up, a grin appearing also on his face.

"That is Elladan!" he said pointing at the soaked elf inside de pool, suddenly realizing which twin had been the victim. She did not know what was so surprising about his realization.

"I thought I would never see him fall in the pool first" the blond elf continued between chuckles.

"Neither did I" mentioned Elladan in a not so happy tone. Legolas ignored his comment as he continued to speak to the twin left standing.

"Congratulations, Elrohir" The dark haired elf made a mocked low reverence, to his audience, which only consisted on Legolas and Elerrina before lifting his head back up.

"Thank you" he said, his wicked grin still present on his face. Elladan splashed him then, and Elrohir took a quick couple of steps back in an attempt to escape the wave of water going in his direction. She laughed again as the younger twin was drenched in water.

"I was surprised that none of them had fallen into the pool by now" Legolas told her, his eyes looking at her a he spoke. HE looked at her differently, suddenly more interested in her than ever before.

"Do they throw each other every time?" She asked, her eyes travelling back to Elladan who was now slowly walking back to the edge of the pool, headed to her direction. He looked extremely handsome, even with his hair splattered to his head, dripping into his already soaked dark green tunic.

"Yes" answered Legolas and she turned to look back at him. " Elrohir is the one to fall in first ever single time. This is indeed the first time he succeeds in throwing Elladan first. I must admit that when I heard the splash, I thought it was Elrohir who had fallen."

"You doubted my abilities?" asked Elrohir with an expression of faked hurt.

"Time had proven that you were not very likely to succeed" Added his twin, splashing yet another wave of water to his mirror image.

Elladan partially walked, partially swan until he reached the rock upon which Elerrina and Legolas were sitting. She looked down at him, her eyes meeting his liquid silver ones, grinning at the sight of the soaked elf. He grinned back at her, narrowing his eyes as she silently mocked him. Then he extended a hand for her to take and help him out of the water.

"I am not taking your hand! You will pull me in! I know that trick!" She said as she leaned a little farther from him. Laughing he then used his arms to push himself up from the water and sat on the large rock, next to her, his soaked tunic already dripping over her dry dress. She squealed as she quickly moved farther form him.

"You stay away from me until you are dry!" she yelled, fully grinning. However, he was faster than her and in a quick movement he had gathered her in his arms, pressing her against his soaked body, her preciously dry dress getting wet.

"No!" She shrieked as she laughed, twirling in his arms, trying desperately to get free, but was failing miserably. She could hear Legolas laughing at her hysterically, and then suddenly heard him give a surprised cry as Elrohir pushed in the crystalline water.

The distraction created as the blonde elven prince hit the water below was enough for Elerrina to finally break free from Elladan's grasp. She ran as fast as she could to a spot a little far from him, shaking her hands as she tried to somehow dry her now damp dress.

Legolas was now standing in the pool, his face held the same shocked expression that Elladan's had held moments ago. The elder twin laughed loudly at the sight of the now drenched blond elf.

"That is what you get for laughing at me" he said as Elrohir joined in the laughter.

She also laughed, but dared not go any closer, dreading to leave her spot located a safe distance away from the edge of the pool. She saw the twins exchange a look before both pairs of silver eyes turned to look at her, equal mischievous grins on their faces.

"No!" she said in what she tried to be a stern tone, holding up her index finger in warning. "Do not think about it!

However, the twins had started to walk towards her, ignoring her completely. She took some steps back trying her best to glare at both mirror images.

"Throw her in!" yelled Legolas from the pool and Elerrina threw him her most deadly glare.

"No!" She kept trying, although she knew her words would be ignored. "Elladan, I am being serious!"

"So am I" he said grinning as they moved closer to her. She tried for a run but did not manage to get too far before she felt his arms wrap tightly around her, holding her arms steady. She tried to break free again, shrieking between laughs.

Without a warning, Elrohir grabbed her by the ankles and she shut her eyes expecting to hit the floor, but Elladan held her by the arms, hanging like a defenseless prisoner.

"No! No!" She repeated, kicking her legs and batting her arms, but nothing seemed to lessen the twins' grips on her. They where now at the edge of the pool and she could see the crystal blue water bellow her, waiting to embrace her.

She shrieked as she closed her eyes tightly, the twins swinging her from side to side, over the water then safely over the grass, then over the water again. The next moment she felt the strong grips on her arms and ankles suddenly release her, and she floated from a split of second before her body fell deep into the cold water.

Her head broke through the surface as she pushed some wet golden locks form her eyes and face. Elerrina was now completely soaked, her dress clinging to her at the arms and swirling around in the water at her feet. She was shorter than the other three elves, and thus, her feet did not reach the bottom of the pool.

Elerrina looked up just in time to see Legolas pulling the only elf remaining dry down into the water. Elrohir fell into the pool rather ungracefully, entirely caught by surprise. His twin jumped back into the pool, eager to join the other three, and she swam directly to him.

He smiled at her widely, his eyes staring lovingly into hers and she knew she never wanted to look away. She grabbed him by the arm and then by the shoulders, pressing herself on his back as she let her body float, clinging to him for support. That way she did not have to swim to stay afloat. He had no trouble in reaching the sandy bottom of the natural pool, and therefore he remained standing steady, the water reaching up to his shoulders.

"Now you want to be close to me" He said chuckling as he turned his face to his back meeting her eyes through the corner of his. At that moment, Elrohir was getting his revenge on Legolas by pushing him under water, both of them too engulfed in their game to pay any attention to Elladan or her.

"I cannot possibly get any more wet" She answered grinning at him, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his cheek in a quick kiss.

"What happened there between you and Legolas?" he asked softly while he turned around to face her. Her arms were still around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist as he touched his forehead to hers.

"I am not sure" his deep gray eyes were looking directly into hers, so close, so warm and welcoming, pulling her in until she felt lost, dazed in a heaven of silver. He seemed to accept her answer for he did not press her with other questions.

"He has seen you before" He whispered "I saw it on his face. It cost me a trip into the water"

She chuckled lightly at his last phrase while the rest of his words danced wildly inside her mind. She had also seen the look on the elf prince's face. He looked entirely too familiar…

The dark blue shade of late night covered the sky resembling an endless ocean. It was already after dinner and Elerrina currently sat in a comfortable seat near the fireplace of the large family room, pitifully loosing a chess match against Elladan.

Their day out by the waterfall had been cut a little shorter than expected when it started to rain. It had not stopped yet, and she could hear the soothing song of the pouring water hitting the roof and the grass outside.

Elrohir was next to her, carefully observing the long match and shaking his head with a smile every time Elerrina lost yet another of her pieces. Elladan was having no mercy on her. Legolas had retired early after dinner and Arwen was nowhere to be seen.

Lord Elrond sat in a large seat closest to the fire, a book held carefully in his hands. His gray eyes had not left the pages below, paying little to no attention at all to the other three elves, but merely enjoying the peace and company. He was still dressed in the light gray formal robes from that morning but he looked different now, calmed and absent, all signs of the mighty Elf-Lord gone as he spent the evening with his sons. As expected, the patrols had returned that afternoon, and, judging from the look of the Elf-Lord, they had not found anything to worry about for the moment.

Elerrina moved her castle on her turn only to find it taken down by Elladan's knight on his next move. She sighed loudly as Elrohir laughed lightly: She was loosing miserably.

"_Elerrina, move your queen three squares to the right"_ The calmed voice of the Elf-Lord echoed inside her mind, yet his gaze remained fixed on his book as he absently turned the page.

She looked down at the board, a wide smile suddenly growing on her face as she looked at Elladan in the eyes. He looked somewhat confused at her sudden change in mood but remained silent waiting for her move. Without thinking it twice, Elerrina grabbed the beautiful crystal piece and moved it as instructed.

"What?" Elladan's eyes nearly popped out at the unexpected twist in the game and she could not help but smile wider as his eyes darted quickly over the crystal board, trying to understand what had just happened.

"I told you to watch out for that" said Elrohir with a sigh as he leaned back on his seat, not interested in the game any longer. "Now you lost"

Elerrina raised her eyebrows at him, looking away from Elladan and the game.

"You told him?" she asked looking from one twin to the other.

"Elrohir has been helping him the whole match"

Lord Elrond's voice made the twins turn around to look at him as if suddenly remembering he was also present in the room. Elladan smiled and shook his head, his gaze looking directly into his father's gray eyes, so like his own.

"You helped her" he said smiling as the Elf-Lord closed his book on his lap, nodding to his son.

"Fair enough. Two against two" continued Elladan as he started to place all the small crystal pieces back on their places, accepting his fair defeat. She really doubted that calling it two against two was the right choice of words. For all she knew, she would be completely useless in playing as a team. She was sure Elrond could take down both the twins by himself.

"I will go get us some tea" Elladan announced standing up after he had finished arranging the chess board. He leaned down and pressed his lips gently to her cheek before making his way out of the room, and she felt the gray eyes of the Elf-Lord following his movements, proudly smiling.

"I will play with you this time" said Elrohir as took the seat where his twin had been sitting moments ago, across from Elerrina.

She nodded her head and made the first move, already foreseeing how the game would end. She saw the Lord Elrond lean back on his seat resting his had back, his eyes closed. He looked tired, weary even, and she realized that he most likely had not had the tranquil day she and the twins had.

Elrohir looked at his father before turning back to look at her, a soft smile present on his lips while he lifted a finger to them indicating her to be silent. She smiled back at him as they continued their game in silence, both of them fully aware that the Elf-Lord remained awake, but nonetheless wanting to give him some quiet time to rest.

A knock on the large doors echoed through the family room, making both Elrohir and Elerrina divert their eyes from the game, Elrond fluttering his eyes open as he sat up straight on the chair.

"Enter" he announced but the door was being pushed open before he had finished speaking.

A blond elf Elerrina had not seen before came rushing into the room, breathing heavily, as if he had run all the way to the room. He was dripping wet, making it clear that he came from the outside, where rain still continued to pour down heavily. Elrohir's eyes looked alert, observing the appearance of the newcomer but the elf paid no attention to him as he walked straight towards the Lord of Imladris.

"My Lord," he said quickly, trying to catch his breath. Elrond was looking at him attentively, his brow furrowed in worry and he looked every inch the powerful Elf-Lord he was. The blond elf took another steadying breath before continuing.

"Orcs have crossed the Bruinen. Our guards at the borders cannot stop them. They are breaking into the valley"

Here is chapter 21! I hope you like it! And thank you deeply to all of you who had let me know your thoughts on the story so far!

Love,

Elena


	22. At The Mercy Of Darkness

The words floated sourly in the air, which seemed to turn cold despite the fire still burning in the fireplace. Time seemed to freeze and she felt as if air had been cut out of her lungs. Her arms and legs had turned into stone, her body feeling like a statue, disconnected from her mind.

Lord Elrond was the one to react first; only a fragment of a second after the words had reached his ears. His voice carried no doubt or hesitation as he rose from his seat, taller than the messenger elf.

"How far into the valley are they by now?" The Elf-Lord's eyes burned into the blond elf she did not know, demanding an answer and demanding it fast. The elf took a breath before answering, he looked agitated and fear glowed in his honey colored eyes. He was unable to keep his voice as steady as his Lord's.

"Not far but they move incredibly fast, my Lord. Our attempts to slow them at the borders fail greatly because of their number. I would estimate ten minutes at most before they reach us here. Should I inform Lord Glorfindel to send the troops out to fight them?"

"Not enough time. Alert everyone. They will reach us before we reach them. Take me to Lord Glorfindel." Elrond answered quickly. She had seen the orcs with her own eyes, she had shared in his vision and for a moment she knew that the blond elf in front of them could not even imagine what was really coming for them. There was no time for strategies, no time to plan a defense.

The elf nodded quickly and turned around in a rush to leave the room, The Lord of the valley at his heels. The dark haired Elf-Lord turned his head quickly before exiting the room, his eyes piercing into his son's.

"Stay here. Be ready" His tone left no space for arguments, and his eyes burned with the power of his command. Elrohir nodded quickly, not an inch of doubt filled his kind gray eyes, which were now wide alert, his senses sharp. Elrond threw a quick glance at her, before looking back to his son, opening his mouth once more to say something but Elrohir spoke first.

"I will stay with her" he said quickly, rushing the words as if he felt that speaking would only waste the precious time they no longer possessed. The Elf-Lord nodded and rushed out of the room, blindly trusting his son's abilities as a warrior.

She felt her body remain frozen as the door sealed shut behind the Lord of Imladris. The sound echoing brutally in the cold silence, and her heart raced with fear inside her chest, the drumming so loud she could almost hear it ringing in her ears. She trusted Elrohir blindly, and she felt safe in the presence of the younger twin, but that did nothing to ease her anxiousness and terror. Her thoughts travelled to Elladan. She wanted him there; she wanted his comforting presence, his liquid silver eyes piercing into her, making everything else feel distant and unreal. But most of all she wanted him safe.

Elrohir sprang quickly into action, making his way to the fireplace, which only minutes ago had seemed so warm and welcoming. It now seemed empty, the red flames sparkling without producing any heat, any comfort. She saw him kneel on the floor and start moving the wood around using a long black iron stick fabricated for that same purpose. She watched him silently, her eyes glued to his body as he rolled the wood over and over pressing it against the gray ashes at the bottom.

Slowly the fire died, the last weak flames extinguishing in the cold, unfriendly air of the night. She saw the dark haired elf stand up and walk towards the other candles lighting the room, blowing out each one of them, but her eyes remained locked on the dead fire. A faint thread of smoke still danced swiftly over the wood, a mere ghost lurking in the darkness as the only memory of the red, dancing flames.

Elrohir blew out the last candle and complete darkness swallowed the silent room. The rain still poured heavily outside, it sounded loud, drumming on the roofs and grass like a warning sign. She found it hard to breathe as the most powerful fear she ad ever felt took hold of her. And yet she remained still, silent, frozen to her seat and allowed the darkness to embrace her, to somehow shield her. She knew that, to a newcomer, the room would appear empty now. The longer it took them to be found, the safer they were.

The creaking sound of a wooden drawer being pulled open made her turn her head. She saw Elrohir pulling out a small silver dagger, its sharp edges catching the pale light of the moonless night as he grabbed it firmly before closing the drawer. He then walked back to where she was, stopping to stand right next to her seat, to her left. He reached his right hand to rest lightly on her shoulder and she immediately turned her face to look up at him, her eyes meeting his kind silver gaze as he offered her the faintest of smiles. His eyes were calmed, serene, comforting her without the need of words, silently telling her that he would protect her, that she was safe. And she wanted to believe it.

He lowered himself to the floor, sitting by her feet, as if he felt that the chair next to her was too far to provide any comfort with his presence, and she mentally thanked him. No words were exchanged; there was no need for them as she silently felt some calm swirl through her, emanating from the comforting form of the younger twin. He would not leave her side unless it became absolutely necessary.

Long seconds stretched into hours in the dead silence and, through the window, behind the heavy curtain of rain, Elerrina saw other distant lights fade into complete darkness. Other elves in the valley were doing the same as Elrohir.

A high-pitched cry echoed through the air, muffled by the sound of the rain, distant and yet so close. Cold shivers ran down her body, as her blood seemed to turn into ice inside her veins. More cries followed the first one accompanied by the vague metallic sound of swords hitting against swords. They were here.

Part of her wished to know what was happening on the outside, and part of her preferred not to know. The sounds were coming closer and closer, the battle was moving fast, the orc probably filtering easily through the barrier of fighting elves. The orc's blood curling cries could be heard every so often, indicating when one of them had been caught by surprise by an elf. She wanted to press her hands to her ears and close her eyes, but her body ignored her. Instead she lowered herself to the ground, sitting next to Elrohir on the cold floor. The dark haired elf turn to look at her, his eyes deeply worried but not nearly half as disturbed by the sounds of the starting battle as she was. He rubbed her arm comfortingly before gently squeezing it, his eyes staring into hers, concerned, pained, as if he knew that it was not his comfort the one she do desperately needed.

"You will be fine" He whispered in a barely audible voice, and she believed him. "They will find us here. You will do as I say, when I say it, not a minute before, not a minute after. "

He whispered softly, his eyes fixed on hers to make sure she understood clearly each and every one of his words and she nodded her head slowly. She would blindly follow every single instruction he gave her, no matter how bizarre it could be. The burning look in his eyes softened once he understood she would follow his orders and he offered her a half- hearted smile.

"Elladan will have my head if you get so much as a scratch" He looked at her with his kind, honest silver eyes and she was deeply grateful at his attempt in lightening the mood.

"Where is he?" She said, finally able to find her voice, which now sounded shaky, barely audible even to elven ears.

"He is fine" He said reassuringly "He is safe"

Whether he was telling her truth or simply saying it for her sake she did not know, but accepted his words as the information she chose to believe. The loud noises of the battle had finally reached them, sounding all around them, so clear, so disturbing and terrifying. She heard doors being thrown open, metal boots hitting heavily on the floor, screams, cries, swords clashing, arrows flying through the air.

Elrorhir stood up, reaching a finger to his lips to indicate her to be silent and motioned for her to follow him. He rushed to the wall that held the door and pressed his back to it, Elerrina close to his side. They were next to the door, close enough so that if someone opened it they would not be obviously visible, but far enough to not get hit by the opening door.

She heard heavy steps running just outside the door, coming to it, they seemed so clear and loud even among the deafening sounds of the fight in the hall outside. They would be found sooner than expected. Suddenly the door was brutally thrown open, the light form the hall filling quickly the room, but they were left in the darkness. She held her breath and remained frozen, her back pressed tightly against the wall next to Elrohir. They had not been seen yet; the door was shielding them from view.

The orcs had not come inside the room yet, their eyes scanning it, trying to decide whether it was empty or not. She could smell their filthy ashen skin, hear their loud breaths, hungry for blood, and she dared not even blink. Slowly they penetrated into the quiet family room, their backs to them. They were only two.

"S'empty" said one of the two, the rough voice making her skin crawl. For a moment she felt a wave of hope run through her as she silently begged for them to leave.

"S'not bloody empty! Search! 'e has to be somewhere" roared the other voice and she knew that was it: they would be found.

The nasty creatures started walking towards the seats where moments ago she and Elrohir had been sitting playing chess. Their heads moved from left to right, inspecting the room. Unexpectedly, one of the orcs turned around, and she felt her heart stopped as his yellow eyes found them.

Then everything happened so fast she did not even know what was happening. Elrohir jumped at the orc, nearly surprising the creature that let out a nasty cry as the dagger was stabbed on its shoulder. The other suddenly turned around, noticing the surprise attack and swung his black sword at the dark haired elf, but Elrohir was faster, dodging their attacks quickly, easily handling the two.

"Run!" He yelled at her, and suddenly she remembered that she was still frozen in her place. More orcs had heard the commotion and were now coming towards the room. "Run! Find a place to hide!"

She did not it to be told twice and her body seemed to finally react, the fear and adrenaline making her quick as she ran to the open door. She threw one last glance at the younger twin, who had taken hold of one of the orcs' swords, before she left the safety of the dark room.

The house was complete chaos. Elves battled orcs at every side she looked, swords moving fast, elves were quicker than the brute creatures, but they were more in number. Maidens ran wherever they could, screaming, looking for a place to hide. Her legs kept running, faster than she had ever ran before, down through hallways, rounding corners: she did not know where she was going, she just kept running.

Orcs seemed to appear out of every corner, running around in groups and throwing themselves at the fighting elves. A black arrow flew past her and she screamed as she felt the rushing air by her ear but her legs did not stop. A blond elf carrying a shiny sword rounded the corner, almost running into her, pushing her to the side as he ran to meet the orcs that were quickly making it up the large staircase. However, the orcs did not pay him attention, one pushed him out of the way as they continued their march, not interested in the blond elf. She looked around as she ran, desperate to find a familiar face, but all she saw was chaos.

Something bumped into her and she was thrown to the floor, caught by surprise. She hit the floor with another body on top of her, hair falling into her face and she struggled, pushing the person away from her until she felt a pair of hands grab her by the arms. She pushed her hair aside and concentrated on the other body, a fair elven maiden with long platinum hair.

"Faelilla!" She breathed not knowing if more out of surprise or relief. The blond elf pushed her to the side of a large bookshelf, crouching in an attempt to partially hide out of the way of the fight.

"My Lady!" She whispered looking at Elerrina, her big morning blue eyes wide with fear. She was shaking, and Elerrina felt that she was probably even more scared than she was.

"What do we do? Where do we go?" The words were coming out of Faelilla's mouth in a rush, she seemed to be in panic, and that was not helping Elerrina's own growing fear.

"Do you see what is happening, my Lady? It is a selective attack!" The last words brought Elerrina out of her shocked state like a cold bucket of water.

"What? What do you mean?" She asked rushed, looking deeply into the large scared blue eyes and she suddenly felt that her own eyes must have looked the same way. She did not know what to do, where to go, what to think. She had never fought before, or been in a fight she could remember.

"They choose who to go after, my Lady" Elerrina stuck her head slightly out of their way too unsafe hiding spot to look at the fight outside. Orcs jumped against elves, pushing them, fighting them, throwing them around the house and the elves fought back, sticking their swords through the foul creatures. Then she saw what Faelilla had told her, the orcs did not throw themselves to every elf. Some were being completely ignored, simply pushed out of the way, while others were met by three or four of the creatures, attacked by more than they could handle.

Fear was taking hold of her, but the adrenaline made her think fast. They needed to get out of where they were. They were right in the way of the battle.

"Faelilla, run." She said, giving the platinum haired elf the same instructions that had been given to her. She wished to be back in the dark family room, she wished to feel safe in the presence of the younger twin again. "Run and hide. Anywhere you can. I do not know what else to do"

The fair elf maiden nodded her head quickly in understanding. They could not run together, their chances of successfully hiding were larger if they ran separately.

"Be safe, my Lady" She whispered before sprinting out into a run, going the way she had come before running into Elerrina. Not thinking it twice she also ran, going all the way down the hallway screaming and ducking as stuff was thrown at her.

She turned a corner and ran up a large staircase. She had reached a part of the house in which the fight was not yet as strong as where she was minutes ago. She ran through a large hallway stopping as she noticed a pair of large wooden doors. She reached both of her shaking hands to the copper handle, trying desperately to open it. Locked.

She heard the orcs's cries from behind her and the heavy metal boots hitting the floor. A group of elves ran past her but she did not turn around to look at the fight behind her as she heard the clashing sound of metal hitting metal.

She was about to round the next corner to the left when a strong hand took hold of her right arm, pulling her sharply into another hallway. She shut her eyes and screamed out of surprise only to find a hand pressed to her mouth. She opened her eyes to find the figure in front of her turn around quickly, dragging her by the arm to follow and she did. A wave of relief washed over her at the sight of the tall, dark haired figure running in front of her, the pale gray robe swirling gracefully behind his rushed steps. It was Lord Elrond.

He ran fast, moving with inexplicable ease through the corridors, taking ways she had never taken before. She had to do a great effort to keep up, but luckily for her, his left hand still held a firm grip on her arm, making sure she remained close behind. He carried a long silver sword on his right hand, and the sight of its sharp edges made her feel secure somehow. He did not turn to face her once, did not say a single word as he pulled her in a fast run through the house.

Three orcs jumped at him out of nowhere, but he was faster than them and sliced two with his sword in a movement so quick she was not even sure she had seen it. She saw the third attempt to surprise him from the back, but the Elf-Lord turned quickly, stabbing the sword through the creature's middle before kicking the carcass out of the way. Without giving her time to blink he was once again dragging her behind him. More orcs were coming in the distance, running straight to them, suddenly seeming to forget about the elf they had currently been fighting. She was only glad they had a lot of room of advantage.

The Elf-Lord rounded another corner and the orcs that followed were left out of their view. They ran along a barely lit hallway she could not recognize but appeared to be empty. He suddenly stopped and she nearly collapsed into him as he pushed open a door to their left, which she had not noticed. He pushed her in quickly and followed right after her, closing the door behind him.

The room was pitch dark, and her eyes had a hard time in adjusting to it. She could still feel the strong hold of the Elf-Lord on her right arm, guiding her somewhere through the room, and she bumped into pieces of furniture a couple of times. They had reached a corner of the room, and shapes started to appear before her eyes, finally adjusting to the dark surroundings.

They were just in front of a large cabinet placed against one wall. A large window faced the north wall of the room, right next to the cabinet, and she could see the rain pouring heavily on the outside. Elrond opened one of the cabinet's wooden doors in a fast movement and guided her inside it's dark interiors.

"Get in" he whispered. His voice was hurried as he turned around to look at the door, half expecting to see it thrown open suddenly.

She obeyed quickly and climbed inside the wooden furniture. She had to crouch to fit, but it was large enough to hide her. There were other things inside the cabinet, blankets from the soft feel of it, but lucky for her they were all piled on one side of it, leaving half o the space empty for her to fit tightly, her knees pressed to her chest.

The Elf-Lord lowered himself to her eye level and she felt his deep silver eyes pierce into hers intently. He looked at her deeply, eyes pleading, commanding her to look directly to him, sparkling with a mixture of emotions: pain, worry, fear.

"Listen to me. You must stay here" he breathed, his gaze not breaking hers and she waited, unmoving, listening with every inch of her body. His eyes looked stern, and yet they were not ordering her around, but pleading. Silently pleading for her to do whatever he would command. She took an unsteady breath and nodded her head quickly.

"Do not go out, no matter what you hear. You cannot be found, Elerrina." She did not know what he was talking about but she kept nodding, her fear becoming too much for her to handle and she could already feel a knot forming in her throat. She wanted it all over, the fight, the running, the hiding.

The sounds outside were getting closer; the orcs had been following them. She only hoped they had been fast enough for the creatures to not see the room into which they had disappeared. The Elf-Lord threw a quick glance at the door before turning his silver eyes back to her.

"Give me that" he said quickly, pointing to the thing silver chain upon which hung a tiny pearl around her neck. She moved her shaking hands as fast as she could and untied the necklace, handing it to the dark haired elf before her. Her whole body was shaking and she found it hard to breathe, and yet, she fought to keep her composure.

Elrond grabbed the necklace without the slightest hesitation and looked at her for a second. His next move would remain forever engraved on her mind, making her heart stop, and air to be finally cut out of her lungs entirely.

With his left hand, he reached to his right hand's third finger and pulled the blue-stoned ring from it in a strong, sure, move. Vilya glowed brightly in a blinding dash of sapphire blue light when it was separated from its master's hand. She heard its loud cry ringing in her ears for a split second before the stone turned dark again. A dead blue stone without the littlest hint of the dim glow that danced inside it seconds ago.

She lifted her eyes from the ring to meet Elf-Lord's as he slipped the ring in her thing silver chain. His silver eyes looked undisturbed, a perfect mask that would have fooled anyone, except for the faint gleam of pain that shone deep in them. He handed the chain back to her, the beautiful ring hanging lifelessly from it, next to the tiny pearl. She shook her head. She did not want to take it.

"Take it" He insisted, his eyes commanding her with incredible power, and she finally obeyed, her hand shaking uncontrollably as she painfully accepted the ring and chain. She kept staring at him, her eyes wide, and his eyes looked deeply pained now, as if separating from the ring was not an easy thing to do.

"Keep it safe. Keep it hidden." He whispered as he let go of the chain, which fell into her waiting hands. She looked at it as it touched her palm; the blue stone glowed again, dimly, dancing softly as it had before. Alive again. Elrond was also looking at her palm, just in the spot where the ring was, his eyes betraying his pain.

"Just as I thought. It works. I can no longer see it while you have it." She looked again at the ring only to make sure that it was still visible to her, glowing dully on her palm.

"Keep it with you. Keep it safe for me. Do not wear it. Do not wield it and do not call on it. Only guard if safe. It must not be found, Elerrina. That is why it is crucial for you to stay her, hidden." He turned to look again at the door before continuing. The sounds were nearly too close now, it would not be long. "I cannot hide for much longer, nor will I do it. Vilya is something that cannot fall into their hands."

She could no longer take it. Part of her already knew what was about to happen, the reason why he was giving Vilya to her to hide for him.

"Why not give it to somebody else, My Lord?" she asked, her voice betraying all of her fears "I cannot fight. I do not know what to do. I.." she did not know what else to say.

"Who else?" He asked sharply, his eyes telling to think reasonably, it was not the moment to panic or doubt. "If they believe I have the ring they will search anyone who is close to me. You, they do not know. They do not know you exist. They believe you dead. You do not know what you can do. If they get a hold of you it will be far worse than they getting hold of me or anyone else. Now, can you stay here and not be found? No matter what happens or what you hear? Can you keep it safe with you?"

She felt his gray eyes burn into hers, carrying the urgency of his words. She looked at him for a moment, her body frozen. She did not know what he was talking about. She did not understand half of what he had said.

"Can you or can you not?" he asked again, this time with more urgency, and she nodded her head.

"Yes. I will do it" She answered in a barely audible whisper. He nodded his head as his eyes softened. When he spoke again his voice was sounded sad, troubled.

"After all is over, find Glorfindel and my sons. Speak to no one but them about the ring." She nodded again knowing that her voice had completely abandoned her only to be replaced by tightening knot on her throat. He smiled at her, a sad smile that never reached his eyes. The Elf-Lord started to stand back up, but stopped halfway through it and returned to look at her, saying one last thing.

"My desk. Second drawer to the left. Look there."

The noise was right outside the door now, the heavy boots echoing dangerously around the dark room. His face snapped quickly to the door and without another word he closed the cabinet's wooden door, leaving her in the complete darkness of its interior.

She heard his light footsteps rush away from her, heading to the door, probably to leave the room to ensure she would not be found but only made it halfway before she heard the door being swung open. She concentrated on breathing steady, quiet breaths, not even moving to blink. 

"In 'ere!" she heard one of the creatures yell, followed by the sound of heavy steps running into the room. There had to be too many of them. She knew the Elf-Lord could not fight them all this time. It all became so clear to her know: A selective attack. They had been looking for someone, and now they had found their target.

She closed her eyes shut, not wanting to know what would come. Inside her eyelids, she could see the image of the tired Elf-Lord resting on his comfortable chair by the fire a couple of hours ago. He had looked so worn out, so weary. She knew he could not fight them now, they were too many, and he was not in his best condition.

"You can't 'ide any longer" said another orc, but she did not hear the Elrond reply.

Then she heard the sharp sound of swords meeting, followed by an orc's high-pitched cry. After that came more metallic sounds and a second high-pitched cry, and then a loud noise of a hard object hiding something hard and a body hit the floor, the sound of robes swirling around. Then silence.

She heard the Elf-Lord groan and had to use all her will power not to utter a sound. She felt her cheeks wet with tears she did not know she had been crying until now. The sound of a heavy metal boot hitting flesh made her wince, but she remained quiet. She could see nothing but darkness, and for a second she was grateful that she at least did not have to see the image of the Lord of Imladris lying on the cold floor at the mercy of the nasty creatures.

"Don't kill 'im!" cried an orc. "'E has it! We need 'im alive!" She heard them move around, closing around something, and she guessed that it was most likely around the fallen elf.

"I don' see anything! There's nothing on 'is hand!" She held the ring stronger inside her palm. Elrond had been right. He had known what the orcs were looking for and had fooled them.

"Idiot!" cried an orc she had heard speak before "Ring's invisible! Take 'im! And let's get outa 'ere!"

Elerrina heard them spring into action, and in matter of seconds they had left the room. The silence felt louder than any noise she had heard before in her life. The nasty, cruel voices still echoed inside her head, and the ring was still held tightly inside her palm, nearly cutting into her skin. The noises outside slowly died. The orcs were retiring. Their mission had been accomplished. Or at least that was what they thought. And she was the only elf in the valley that knew.

She remained there, in the safety of the dark cabinet, next to the pile of blankets, afraid to move, afraid to breathe. All she wanted was to wake up from the nightmare in which she was. The pained, silver eyes of the Elf-Lord still fresh inside her mind.

Another chapter! This one is a little bit longer, I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think of it! I will update soon!

Love,

Elena


	23. Picking Up The Pieces

Silence lingered in the air like a cold ghost and, for a moment, all that reached her ears was the loud thumping of her heart. Even the constant rain pouring heavily outside had lost its sound to her, becoming only an empty echo in the background. She did not know how long she had remained waiting in her hiding spot inside the cabinet, it felt like hours but she knew it must have been only minutes. The cold grip of darkness had become welcoming to her, somehow feeling more soothing than the well-lit house outside.

Taking a deep breath, Elerrina slowly stepped out of the wooden cabinet, the ring in the thin chain gripped tightly inside her palm. The room outside was dark, same as when they had come rushing, except that now it was only she. There were no orcs. No Elf-Lord. She looked around the room for the first time as she slowly placed one foot in front of the other towards the large door. Dark shadows traced the shapes of furniture around the room, its colors reduced to darks shades of blues in the lack of light. There was a bed, not a large one, and a couple of chairs. There were more cabinets like the one in which she had hidden, and a small bedside table upon which rested some cups and funny instruments. It looked like a room in a Healing Wing.

Two shapes lay sprawled dead on the floor, the sickly grayish color of the skin making shivers run down her spine. Two orcs. So Lord Elrond had managed to take down two of them. A glint of silver caught her eye, and she noticed the shiny shape of a long, sharp sword, dropped carelessly on the ground, a beautiful silver circlet not far from it. Quickly she turned her gaze away from them, concentrating on the door. She could not look at those objects.

Outside the house felt empty, lifeless, despite the warm fires lighting the many hallways. It did not take her long to reach the massive staircase that led to the main hall. Elves rushed all around the house, gathering the nasty bodies of the dead orcs and caring for the injured. Her eyes darted about the hall, not really paying close attention to any of them, and they seemed not to have noticed her. There was no sight of the twins or Glorfindel. Not even Legolas.

Three elves rushed through her right, gently carrying a limp body. Dark hair fell from the unconscious elf's head, which hung lifelessly as he was carried away, his eyes closed in mortal sleep and she could see his gentle features glowing at the candlelight. She did not know the elf, but could not help her eyes from staring, shaken. Silently she hoped he still lived. She wished she could feel pain, sadness, grief, despair, anything. But she felt nothing, only cold emptiness.

Elerrina crossed the hall in long steps, looking to her sides searching for a familiar face. She walked down the steps that descended into the main courtyard, the rain pouring down on her, sticking her golden hair to her face and brushing away the trails of dry tears on her cheeks.

More dead orcs lay on the muddy grass, and elves also moved around the courtyard, taking their injured back into the house, away from the cold and wet. It seemed the battle had been greater outside the house than inside. The elves had tried to prevent the nasty creatures from entering.

Her eyes searched around, blinking through the rain that cascaded down her lashes, until they fell on a dark figure sitting on the wet ground, leaning against a tree trunk. Her heart raced in relief as she saw long strands of wet dark hair frame a very familiar, handsome face. It was one of the twins.

Her feet raced towards the dark haired elf, the mud sticking to her long dress, but she did not care. She could see the efl's face better as she drew closer, and a pair of liquid silver eyes shot up to meet her as his elven ears heard her approach. Her heart jumped inside her chest and she felt as if a great pressure had been liberated from her, letting her breath once more. It was Elladan. She felt a knot in her throat as tears of relief threaten to fall from her eyes.

Elerrina rushed to his side and threw herself on the muddy grass, not caring about her dress anymore. Her eyes were glued to his silver ones, the center of her attention, as she saw him quickly inspect her from head to toe, his right hand reaching up to cradle her cheek. She pressed her own hand over his, welcoming the warm feeling of his skin touching hers.

"Are you alright?" he breathed, his concerned eyes staring into her and she felt lost inside them. He was fine, and he was with her.

She opened her mouth to answer, but struggled with words as a wave of all the suppressed emotions, the horrid images, the fear, the despair, and the relief, washed over her. She needed to tell him his father had been captured, perhaps they could reach the orcs before they were too far ahead, but her mouth did not respond to her. Breathing became hard as her body suddenly shook with sobs, her tears masked by the pouring rain.

"Yes" she managed to choke out and he removed his hand from her cheek and used it to pull her closer to him, pressing her against his right shoulder.

She buried her face in his dripping dark hair, just between his neck and collarbone, unable to control her hysteric sobs. Her hand gripped the neckline of his tunic as if her life depended on it while she longed for his closeness, for the comforting feeling of his warm skin, his sweet scent. She felt him press his lips to her temple, placing a kiss there and continuing all over her head, his right arm holding her tight against him.

She let go of his tunic and moved her arms to place them around his neck, wanting to hold him even tighter. As soon as her right hand came in contact with his left shoulder he hissed sharply, wincing back from her touch. Startled she removed her hands quickly, leaning back to take a look at him, her heart nearly stopping.

His eyes were shut in pain and his face turned away from her. A deep gash ran along his shoulder, but she could not see how far down his chest it went because of the darkness and rain. Dark blood covered the wound and part of his tunic. The thick liquid still flowed from the cut, mixing with the heavy raindrops and sticking to his hair. She looked at him with wide eyes, startled.

The wound was hard to see in the darkness of the night, especially with the rain, but still she felt she should have noticed it. She suddenly realized that must have been the reason why he lay sitting against a tree, it seemed obvious now: he was injured. He opened his eyes again and turned his face to look at her once the pain had passed.

"You are bleeding" She realized that it was a stupid thing to say, but no other words came to her shocked mind. As if he did not know that already.

"I am sorry" She apologized for causing him pain as she eyed the wound once again. "Why did you not say anything?"

Elerrina knew they needed to stop the bleeding, but she could not take her hands to touch him again, she could not bear to cause him wince in pain once more. Steps rushed behind her, splashing fast on the muddy grass and she turned around to find the other twin running towards them.

Elrohir looked entirely unharmed, lowering himself on the ground in front of his brother, not even looking at her as his silver eyes inspected the wound. He must have already known Elladan was hurt; he must have felt it through their bond. Acting fast, the younger twin stripped from his tunic and pressed piece of clothing against the wound, using both hands to hold it in place.

Elladan tensed as he hissed louder this time, silver eyes shut tightly as his face contoured in pain, thrown back against the tree trunk. Her heart constricted inside her chest as she saw his hands dig into the grass, clenching into fists.

"Sorry" said Elrohir flatly as he continued to press strongly against the bleeding wound. Elladan huffed as a response, not opening his eyes.

"You could have been gentler" he muttered behind gritted teeth, breathing heavily as he struggled to fight the pain. She wanted to do something but felt completely useless.

"Do you want to bleed out?" Asked the younger twin impatiently and she could see him lifting the cloth slightly to look at the wound again, his eyes concerned, concentrated on his task of stopping the thick liquid from flowing out the cut.

"Do you want to trade places?" Snapped Elladan who finally managed to open his eyes with an effort. However, his words passed completely ignored by his mirror image, who did not even turn his head to look.

She saw Elladan's eyes staring at his brother, all the sudden anger that made him snap because of the agony now completely gone from his liquid silver orbs.

"Thank you, Ro" he said softly, his eyes reflecting the honesty of his words and she felt he was thanking him for more than simply tending to his wound. Elrohir turned his head, his eyes finding a silver pair exactly like his own as they exchanged a look in silence.

"Any time, Dan" The hard, focused look on the younger twin's eyes had softened, once again replaced by his natural kind silver gaze. He sighed as he looked at the wound again only to find it still bleeding freely and shook his head while he muttered. "Caellor owes you his life"

"Elerrina?" Elrohir said suddenly, and she nearly jumped in surprise as her presence was once again remembered.

"Yes?" she answered quickly, her voice coming out only as a whisper.

"Can you hold this in place?" He asked motioning to the tunic in his hands. "You have to press it firmly to stop the blood flow" He instructed as she hurriedly walked around him and dropped to the ground on Elladan's left side, her hands reaching to take over the tunic, now soaked with blood and rain.

Once her hands were firmly pressed in place, he let go of the tunic and moved to the side. She watched him as he placed Elladan's good arm around his own shoulders and slipped one arm firmly around his waist, ready to support him if he were to collapse. Elladan had remained silent and she saw in horror that his eyes were once again closed and his head rested back on the tree trunk. He was loosing strength fast.

"Can you walk?" she heard Elrohir ask him and the elder twin simply nodded his head in reply, not bothering to open his eyes.

Elrohir rose himself from the ground, partially carrying Elladan into a standing position. Elerrina imitated him, careful to maintain the tunic pressed to the wound, offering the little help she could. Elladan swayed a bit on his feet but his twin tightened his hold on him, holding him steady until he managed to remain stable on his feet.

Slowly they started they march back towards the house, Elladan keeping his beautiful silver eyes shut the whole time. She desperately wanted to caress his cheek, to softly stroke his hair, to do anything that would ease his pain even if only slightly but knew that the best way to help him was to focus on pressing the soaked piece of clothing to his shoulder. They needed to get Elladan back inside the house and to a healer; needed to find Glorfindel, wherever the golden haired elf might be; needed to go after Lord Elrond, or at least decide how to act about that.

"Elrohir" she said as the walked slowly. She needed to tell him about the Elf-Lord if they wanted to act fast. She did not know for how long could the elves inside the house not notice the absence of their Lord. Elrohir turned his eyes to look at her, expecting her words.

"We need to find Lord Glorfindel once we reach the house. The orcs took your father with them. He told me to find the two of you and Lord Glorfindel after the fight was over." She had to use all of her will power to have the strength to say those words out loud, using all of her determination to keep her composure.

The younger twin did not say anything in return but she saw a flash of anger dart through his eyes. Elladan opened his eyes at her news, his face turning to look at hers, searching to verify the dreadful truth in her words inside her eyes. Finally, Elrohir nodded his head but his gray eyes remained burning with anger now mixed with the greatest glint of worry she had ever seen cross his silver gaze.

"That would explain why the orcs retired so suddenly. Find Glorfindel." ordered Elladan looking at his twin, his voice surprising her for he had not spoken in what felt like hours.

The sound of his voice felt like a song to her ears, more reassuring than anything in Arda. It made her believe he was fine, completely alright, even if that was not the case at the moment. He spoke calmly and yet she knew that his voice was only an exterior mask, not communicating the interior reaction that her words had caused. She wanted to know what he was thinking, what he was feeling.

She was well aware that the news were not easy to take, and for a second she wished that the twins would openly react. She could almost feel Elrohir nearly raging in the inside. She herself was angered, frustrated scared, deeply worried for the Elf-Lord's life, and he was not her father. She could only imagined how the news would feel to the two identical elves.

"Let us get you inside first" answered Elrohir to his twin with a nod of his head.

The short distance into the safety of the well-lit and dry Main Hall seemed to stretch eternally. By the time they slowly made it into the hall Elrohir carried most of Elladan's weight, who seemed to slump even more with the effort of each step he took. He had nearly collapsed twice on the way, weak and disoriented by the fast blood loss.

Elves were still moving around and she noticed that the number of dead orcs lying on the floor had significantly reduced. The presence of the twins was instantly acknowledged as the despairing elves looked at them in hopes that someone would take charge of the situation, probably even silently wondering why the Lord of Imladris was not there taking the lead by now.

"Elladan! Elrohir!" a voice yelled and the three of them turned to face the quickly approaching Prince of Mirkwood. His sky blue eyes widened as he noticed the elder twin half carried by his brother.

The blond elf had participated in the battle by looks of it. He carried a bow clenched in one hand and his own tunic was also muddied and drenched in rainwater. He too seemed completely unharmed as she watched him hurry to their side to help Elrohir guide Elladan further into the Main Hall.

"What happened? They retired as suddenly as they came and more so, none of the orcs seemed to be willing to fight me, I was being completely ignored." Legolas said while two other elves came rushing towards them, quickly coming to the aid of their injured young lord as soon as they saw the three appear through the main doors.

"I do not know" was Elrohir's rushed reply. "I myself got at the least eight jumping straight at me, and I am sure he did too, if not more" he said gesturing towards Elladan whose eyes were once again tightly closed.

"My Lords" said the first of the two elves to reach them; the other right at his heels. "How badly is he injured?"

The second elf, also blond like the first one, but slightly taller, reached to take over Elerrina, and she waited until he had the tunic firmly gripped in his hands before letting go. Her hands now held only the thin silver chain upon which hung Vilya, invisible inside her palm. She had even forgotten about the ring while she focused on stopping the son of Elrond from bleeding.

"A blow to the shoulder. I do not know for sure the extent of the damage, it was too dark outside, but it is deep and will not stop bleeding" Informed the younger twin while the blond elf proceeded to inspect the wound underneath the bloodied tunic.

"My Lord, do you know where Lord Elrond is? No one has seen him after the battle and he is greatly needed to help with the injured" asked the first elf and Elerrina could see the worried look in his eyes, clearly telling her that they had already looked for the Elf-Lord around the house but to no avail.

"How many are there wounded?" was Elrohir's answer, evading the question with another one.

"Twenty-three. Twenty-four if we count Lord Elladan, and all of them are dark haired. They only attacked dark haired elves, my Lord, I was pushed aside as I tried to help."

Legolas' head snapped to face the younger twin, his eyes worried and suspicious, his brow furrowed at the piece of information received. Elrohir's own brow furrowed equally and she was sure his mind was working quickly as he gazed intently into the elf she did not know before nodding his head.

She heard steps running fast into the Main Hall, coming from a corridor at her left and Elrohir turned his head quickly in that direction.

"Glorfindel!"

Elrohir yelled and she turned to find the golden haired warrior hurrying towards them at the distance, his face wary, preoccupied, and she had no doubt that he knew the Elf-Lord was no longer among them. The younger twin then turned his attention back to the blond elf and spoke quickly.

"Selemar, gather the healers, they will have to manage on their own for the time being. The orcs took my Adar with them, It seems this was not an attack to Imladris, but a plan to capture its Lord. I will join you to help with the wounded in a while."

She saw the first elf's, Selemar from what she had heard, eyes grow wide in shock and disbelief, and she knew that the sole idea of orcs attacking the peaceful valley to capture the Elf-Lord while in his own house was infuriating. Legolas' eyes also shone with bewilderment at the news, infinite blue eyes staring worriedly at Elrohir's silver ones.

Elrohir threw a quick glance at Glorfindel, who was very close to them now, before turning back to face the other elves. Legolas only nodded his head, without pronouncing any word, and stepped in to take over the younger twin in supporting Elladan upright.

"Leave him to me" whispered the Elf Prince as Elrohir slowly stepped aside, gently shifting Elladan's weight to Legolas, who wrapped his arm around the elder twin's waist to stabilize him.

She saw Elrohir watch as Legolas got complete hold of his twin and she felt him battle with himself, not wanting to leave his brother's side. She did not want to leave Elladan's side either, but she knew she would have to. She knew she and Elrohir had to go meet the golden haired warrior, and she trusted that the elf she cared most for in the room would be safe in the hands of the blond Prince and two other elves.

"I will tend to him, Lord Elrohir" said Selemar calmly, and Elerrina knew then that he must be one of the master healers in the house for Elrohir nodded his head before turning to face her and signaling her to walk with him towards Glorfindel.

"Let us take him to his chambers. The Healing Ward is far too full" She heard the blond elf say as they slowly started guiding Elladan away, her eyes glued to him, staring at his slumped form; at his long dark hair that dripped to the floor; at his liquid silver eyes hidden behind tightly shut eyelids. She had to force her eyes to look away from him and follow Elrohir.

"Elrohir!" came Glorfindel's voice as he reached them, his eyes looking from her to the twin, worried. "Where is your father? Have you seen him?"

Elrohir did not answer right away, and his lack of response received another question from the golden haired warrior.

"Was he captured?" The question sounded as if he already knew the answer and only wanted for someone to prove him wrong. He seemed irate at the thought of the Elf-Lord being captured and she had a feeling that if he could go running behind the orcs to rescue his friend in that exact moment he would do it.

"Yes" replied Elrohir and she saw the flash of burning anger sparkle through his eyes once more. "Elerrina told me about it, so she must know what happened. It seems they came for him, it seems that was their plan from the beginning. They attacked selectively, only at dark haired elves, from what Selemar informed me. They were clearly looking for someone."

"Or something" added Glorfindel and she instantly knew what he meant, part of her wondering if he knew she had the ring inside her palm, right in front of him.

"Come, we will go to his study. I want to know what happened" the Balrog Slayer looked directly at her as he said those words and she felt completely exposed. Then he turned to Elrohir again. "And we must decide how to act, see if we can send a search party as soon as we can…"

Here's another chapter! Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed the story, I really appreciate your comments, its nice to know your thoughts on the chapters. Those of you who reviewed as guests, I can't reply to your reviews but wanted to thank you for them! I will update the next chapter as soon as I can

Love,

Elena


	24. Vilya

The familiar room looked exactly the same as it had the times she had visited it, but it felt incredibly strange to Elerrina at that moment. The elegant, welcoming study felt empty, lifeless, as if its very soul had suddenly vanished, reducing it merely to another spacious room inside the house. A fire roared vividly on the fireplace, its red flames dancing smoothly, cracking every now and then as they burned the wood that fed them, but she could not feel its warmth.

None of the elves had said a word as they entered the large study, probably feeling the same way she did. They had not knocked on the door for they knew its usual occupier would not be inside. Part of her had almost hoped to find the tall dark haired figure sitting behind the finely crafted desk, but they were faced with the cold image of an empty chair.

The large desk was covered in parchments and scrolls, the fine crystal inkpot open with an exquisite quill lying next to it, even a book laid upon the oak surface, its yellow pages opened near the middle. Everything about the room remained untouched, in the exact place it had been left, and it seemed as it Lord Elrond would waltz in at any second, tall and powerful as ever with his kind eyes smiling at them.

Glorfindel and Elrohir walked directly towards the seats by the fire, Elerrina following closely behind, the three of them completely silent. The golden haired warrior handed them each a warm blanket and she suddenly remembered her drenched dress and hair, which dripped over the rich carpet. She watched hopelessly as Elrohir sat heavily on one of the cushioned chairs, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands cradled his head, his damp raven strands of hair falling forward as his eyes focused on his lap. He looked miserable, and she felt that way too.

"Elrohir, can you reach your father's mind through your bond?" Came Glorfindel's calmed voice as he sat on the seat directly in front of her, next to the younger twin.

She stared at the dark haired elf as he remained unmoving, his face hidden from view. Silence settled inside the room as they waited for long minutes, and her mind travelled back to Elladan; to the way his silver eyes had shut tight to hide his pain, the way he dangerously swayed on his feet as his strength faded from the blood loss, and she wished to be by his side. Finally the younger twin's voice echoed through the room.

"He is alive, although unconscious" The hurt in his voice made Elerrina's heart shatter as she watched Elrohir's still figure, his head still cradled in his hands, looking down.

"They came for him. That was their only purpose: to capture him." The younger twin muttered without lifting his gaze to meet anyone, his voice cold with fury, distant. "Why did no one notice the orcs were looking for him? Why did no one see them take him while they retired?"

"Where you not at the fight? Did you not see the house? It was a complete chaos both outside and inside. It seemed as if Mordor itself had fallen over us. There was not a way in Arda anyone could have had the smallest idea of what was happening. I believe that was the purpose of their ambush: to confuse all of us, catch us by surprise in a fight while they looked for Elrond." Said Glorfindel addressing Elrohir directly.

"I know that. I could barely see what was happening around me" Snapped the dark haired elf lifting his head to direct his gaze at the Balrog Slayer.

Elrohir's characteristic kind silver gaze was now iced, hard, burning with hatred as it glared into the warrior's blue ones. Her body tensed at the unfamiliar sight as she involuntarily sunk back in her seat. Her heart hardened with sadness; this was barely the same elf she had come to know.

The golden haired warrior showed no reaction to the iced glare. His expression remained the same, a calmed mask that would not break, and she wondered if perhaps he had anticipated that kind of reaction from the younger twin. She watched, frozen, as Elrohir lowered once again his head to his hands.

"There is a matter far more important to discuss, Elrohir." Continued the Balrog Slayer, but the dark haired elf did not lift his head to look up as he listened. "If they have your father, they have Vilya. I am not sure if getting the ring was their intention, or if that is only an extra they have won without having knowledge of it.

You know what will happen if the ring falls into the wrong hands."

She felt a cold shiver wash through her at the mention of the ring she held tightly inside her palm. She did not know what scared her most: having the ring with her, or announcing to the golden haired elf that she had it. She had already seen the extension of Elrohir's anger reflected in his hard eyes and did not want to find out Glorfindel's. She took a deep calming breath before speaking up the truth, remembering that the Elf-Lord had asked her to tell Glorfindel and his sons.

"They do not have it"

Tension hung inside the room as her words echoed through the book-covered walls, seeming way louder than expected. Both pairs of eyes turned sharply to look at hers, perplexed. Blue eyes wary, distant and impossible to read; silver ones hard and cold, confusion sparkling in its depths. She wished she could be anywhere else in Arda, but her body acted separately from her mind as she held her gaze steady, her face as expressionless as she could.

"They do not have the ring. I have it" She repeated just as Glorfindel gave her a very intense look, observing her slowly as his brow furrowed in puzzlement. Even the iced anger inside Elrohir's eyes suddenly vanished to be replaced by deep worry and confusion, but the silver orbs remained as cold and hard as before, no longer kind and reassuring. It looked as if something had snapped inside the younger twin, as if some kind of forgotten hatred had suddenly revived.

Glorfindel tilted his head slightly to one side, eying her carefully as he motioned for her to elaborate. Slowly and without breaking his gaze, she opened her palm, revealing the little pearl and the exquisite blue-stoned jewel that now hung from the delicate chain. She saw both elves look at her palm for a long moment as if trying to find something before Elrohir's eyebrows shot up questioningly.

"Where is it?" Asked the twin, his eyes deeply confused as he looked once again inside her palm.

Suddenly remembering that Elrond had told her he could not see the ring while she held it, Elerrina grabbed the chain with her other hand and let the ring hang freely from it, no longer touching her skin. Both pairs of eyes widened instantly as the majestic and terrifying jewel became visible to their eyes.

"Were you wearing it?" Demanded Glorfindel immediately, his eyes wary.

"No" She answered with a slight shake of her head. The jewel terrified her more than she would dare to admit, she would never even think of wearing it. Glorfindel's soft blue eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked at her.

"Put it on your palm again" He commanded slowly and she saw Elrohir's eyes dart form him to the ring and then back to her.

Looking deeply into the watchful pair of soft blue eyes that studied her every move, Elerrina let the chain fall onto her waiting palm, holding it open so that the golden haired warrior could see it clearly. Exactly as it had happened with the Elf-Lord hours ago, the majestic blue stone in the middle of the gold band glowed dully as it touched her skin, the blue light swirling slowly inside it while soft whispers started to emanate from it.

"Did he see this? Did Elrond see this?" Glorfindel's eyes scrutinized her dark green ones as he spoke, his voice soft, as if wanting her to comprehend every single word clearly.

"See what, my lord?" She asked slowly, her eyes still trapped inside his watchful blue ones.

"Did he see the ring become invisible at your touch?" He specified and she felt the image of the Elf-Lord's pained silver eyes staring at her palm flash through her mind once more.

"Yes"

Glorfindel simply nodded his head in reply and Elerrina wished he would say something else. She did not comprehend what was happening, why the ring disappeared when she held it? Was it not supposed to? Yet, she did not dare ask as she remained sitting still and watched Elrohir exchange a look with the golden haired warrior.

"Elerrina, I wish to know everything my Adar said to you tonight. What happened?" Elrohir's eyes locked with hers and she could see deep authority in them, cold and distant, but strong, taking the lead in his father's absence.

She opened her mouth but, before she could speak, the large wooden door was gently pushed open. Another tall, dark-haired, elf walked into the room, closing the door gently behind him as he advanced towards the three of them. His face looked solemn, grave, as his saddened blue eyes traveled from Glorfindel to Elrohir.

"I heard" He said in a voice as grave and somber as his expression. Elrohir's silver eyes turned down again, fixing absently on the rich carpet as the new elf stood behind him, resting one hand on his shoulder in an attempt to offer some comfort.

"I thought you might need this after seeing your old one" The stranger said handing Elrohir a dry tunic in a dark blue color. The twin accepted it silently and threw it on.

The newcomer's eyes found her and he gazed at her figure with a mixture of confusion and suspicion before his eyes locked with Glorfindel's.

"This is Elerrina" Said the Balrog Slayer absently.

"I know that" Came the calmed reply as the stranger's blue eyes looked at her again, his mute question unanswered.

"She has Vilya, Erestor. The orcs took Elrond, but not the ring. He entrusted it to her." The dark haired elf, Erestor from what she had heard, turned to look back at her, his eyes wide with the new information. So he also knew about the ring.

"Do you know why?" He asked Glorfindel, his voice betraying his deep surprise and confusion.

"We were about to hear what Elrond said about it"

The golden haired warrior's tone announced the end of the conversation as the three pairs of eyes turned to look at her expectantly. She locked eyes with Elrohir, unsure if she should speak in the presence of the new elf, even if he knew about the existence of the ring.

"Erestor can hear anything you have to say." Said the twin reassuringly as he nodded at her "He and Glorfindel know more about Vilya than me or Elladan"

She nodded her head slowly and proceeded to speak.

"I was running from the battle, trying to find a place to hide, when Lord Elrond pulled me into a hallway, taking me behind him as he ran. He did not say anything, and I did not ask. Orcs were following us, too many of them. He pulled me inside an empty room and ordered me to hide inside a cabinet, which I did. Then he asked for my necklace," she made a pause as he gazed at the chain in her hand "and slipped the ring there, handing it back to me."

The other elves remained silent, looking at her intently and she continued speaking.

"He did not say anything, and at first I refused to take it, but he insisted. He said that he could not hide for long and instructed that I must remain hidden until after the battle was over, and that then I must go find you." She looked at Glorfindel and Elrohir to make sure they understood she meant them.

"He said that the ring must not be found. Told me to keep it safe and not to wear it or wield it. He said that the orcs did not know I existed and therefore would not look for me. He said…" she trailed off, feeling a cold shiver down her spine as she remembered what the Elf-Lord had told her.

"He said what?" Pressed Elrohir and she focused her gaze on his hard silver eyes as she spoke.

"He said they believed me dead. And then he left me hidden with the ring while he returned to the fight outside, but the orcs found us before he even left the room. They mentioned the ring as they took him, something about it being invisible and that they should search his hands. I did not see anything because I was hiding, but I heard everything"

Elerrina left out the last part, when the Elf-Lord had told her to look inside his desk. She did not now the reason, but felt that that part had been directly with her.

"So they were indeed after Elrond and the ring, and he knew it." Glorfindel was the first to talk, the other two remained silent, their minds processing the information.

"Elrond Peredhel, you fooled them all. Of course you would think of everything" The golden haired warrior shook his head lightly as he added in a barely audible voice.

"What do you think they will do with him if they believe he has the ring?" Asked Elrohir as his cold eyes bounced from Erestor to Glorfindel. She could see fear for his father's life clearly reflected in his silver gaze.

"What worries me is what will happen once they find out he does _not_ have it. If they were after the ring, as we just heard they were, they will not kill him as long as they think he has it, or that he at least knows where it is kept"

Erestor was the one to answer, and Elerrina could feel all of their worry floating tensely in the air. She could feel the same question running wildly inside each of their minds: how had the orcs known about the ring? How had they known the Elf-Lord was its master?

"What do I do with the ring, my lord?" She asked the Balrog Slayer, unable to contain her questions anymore.

"Keep it with you" Glorfindel's soft blue eyes pierced her deeply and she could feel the weight of his command all over her body. Suddenly she remembered the Elf-Lord had told her those same words, his silver eyes holding the same imperative air as the golden haired elf.

"Why not lock it safely in its chest?" Asked Elrohir as his brow furrowed in puzzlement. Glorfindel turned to look at him and shook his head before answering.

"Vilya responds to Elerrina. It becomes invisible at her touch the same it does when your father wears it, which means it is awake. She shares a connection to the ring, as we have seen before, but it is a different than the one Elrond shares with it. She does not master the ring, it does not acknowledge her as such, but it opens to her as if it were…part of her, shared the same essence. If she keeps it with her, the ring is safely hidden, and it will remain awake and alert, still connected to Elrond. If said connection works indeed in the way I believe it does, as long as the ring remains awake, Elerrina and your father will still share a link between their minds."

Glorfindel's eyes turned to look at her, soft blue penetrating into her soul as he spoke clearly once more, directly to her.

"I want you to tell me if anything changes about the ring, or if you see or hear anything."

Elerrina nodded her head, no longer finding her voice to speak while trapped in the Balrog Slayer's watchful gaze. Vilya continued to glow dimly inside her palm, suddenly feeling more terrifying than ever, emanating such a strong power from it that she felt it could posses her, pull her into it. And, in between its soft, strange whispers, she could feel it calling to its master, longing to return to him.

Not wanting to look at it anymore, she tied the delicate necklace back around her neck, letting the ring hang next to the tiny pearl, invisible to the eye.

"Glorfindel, go see how soon can we send a search party." Ordered Erestor as he started to walk towards the elegant desk. "I will send message of tonight's events to Mirkwood and Lorien, the need to be alert in case something of the sort was also planned for them."

The golden haired warrior stood from his seat and headed towards the door in complete silence, becoming clear to Elerrina that explanations were over. She sat frozen for a moment, waiting for an order or a dismissal but nothing came. Erestor was currently hunched over the desk, the quill already in his hand as he quickly scribbled something on a piece of parchment, and Elrohir remained sitting quietly, his iced gaze lost in the cracking fireplace.

Slowly, the younger twin turned his silver eyes to meet hers and it hurt her deeply when she found them cold and unwelcoming. She could almost feel the pain emanating from his body, and knew the coldness, anger and distance was simply his way to react to it. Deep inside, Elerrina knew there had to be a reason for this reaction, but it did not matter at the moment.

He nodded to her as he stood up, and she imitated him, following his tall form as he walked calmly towards the door and out of the elegant study. The hallway outside was not inviting, as the gloomy ghosts of the recent fight still lurked around the columns and pointed arches, but still it felt slightly better than inside the study.

"I should go help with the injured, and there are other matters I need to tend to in my Adar and Elladan's absences." He told her softly, his voice sad and his face unreadable while his eyes focused on her without really looking at her. The silver orbs remained cold, but they were empty, as if they had lost all of their radiant light.

"Can I be of any help to you?"

She hoped there was something she could do, anything to at least lift some of the heavy weight from his shoulders. She felt helpless, unable to even offer him her comfort like he had done to her before the battle. He simply shook his head as his silver gaze found her green eyes once again.

"No. But I can think of someone who would like your company at this moment" His lip curved up in the faintest of smiles and deep inside his distant silver eyes she saw a sparkle of warmth and the faint glow of his usual kind gaze.

"Thank, you" She said, and she had never meant it that much.

Grateful, she offered him a warm smile before turning around and heading down the long hallway. She heard Elrohir head the other way, but did not turn around, her mind finding space only for Elladan.

She reached the beautifully crafted door that led to the elder twin's chamber just as Legolas came out through it. His light blue eyes found hers easily, looking at her in the same familiar way they had since their day by the waterfall. She knew he had heard her as she approached the chambers.

"How is he?" Her voice came out as a mere whisper and he smiled softly at her, infinite blue eyes sparkling gently at the soothing candlelight.

"He is fine" He said, his voice calmed and gentle "The wound is not as bad as it looked, the real danger was the amount of blood that was coming out. You should go in. He is awake, although somewhat drowsy and numb from the pain draught. He is probably tired of seeing my face. I had a clean dress be brought for you since I figured you would come here before your own chambers" He smiled reassuringly at her and she smiled back in thanks, nodding as she walked by him and entered through the open door.

The large bedchamber was lighted dimly with some candles, bright enough to see clearly around the room, but dark enough to allow peaceful sleep. Her gaze travelled to the large bed, where Elladan lay underneath the pale gold covers, resting on several pillows. Her heart ached at the sight of the white bandages that covered his left shoulder and part of his bare chest. He looked so vulnerable.

Elladan rolled his head to the side to look at her as he heard her enter the piece, his gray eyes half-open under heavy eyelids, his silver irises sparkling like stars under the shimmering candlelight. She could almost feel his exhaustion, his body aching dully with the wound, and she desperately wanted to hold him, to soothe him. Silently, she walked towards the bed, sitting gently on its edge, to his right side, careful not to move too much as to not disturb him. His sleepy silver eyes followed her the whole time.

"Hello" His voice came out weak, a faint whisper, and his lips smiled at her softly. She smiled back, letting herself be lost inside his liquid silver gaze.

"How do you feel?" She asked softly as she gently took his right hand in hers. He wrapped his fingers around hers in return, the grip weak but steady, and she felt his thumb caress lightly the back of her hand. He chuckled weakly at the question before answering with another tired smile.

"Right now, I simply do not feel." Now it was her turn to chuckle softly at his words, remembering the pain draught Legolas had mentioned.

"You look tired." She saw him close his eyes for a brief moment before his liquid silver irises turned to her once more.

"I am." He admitted truthfully and her heart filled with warmth at the honesty in his eyes. She had been dreading that he would not tell her if he were truly hurting, that he would try to hide his weakness from her, and felt immensely relieved that he felt comfortable confiding in her. Although she was sure that he would not be honest about the extent of his exhaustion or pain, he would hide it for her sake.

Elerrina reached her free hand to his head and gently let her fingers stroke his dark hair, enjoying the soothing feeling of the soft, silky strands. His eyes closed in response to her touch and he lay like that for some minutes, breathing evenly. She could almost feel him succumbing to tiredness and for a moment she believed he was finally asleep, but he opened his eyes once more, only halfway.

"What did you discuss with Glorfindel?" His voice was barely audible and she smiled at his persistent fight against the effects of the draught. He would not last much longer awake.

"I will tell you when you wake up. All of it." She let her fingers continue to gently stroke his hair, slowly lulling him to sleep and he once again let his eyelids fall over his silver eyes.

"How is Elrohir?" She had to lean in to listen to his words this time and he did not open his eyes as he spoke.

"Go to sleep. I will be here" Was her answer and he seemed to listen to her this time for he fell silent. She stroked his dark strands of hair until she heard his breathing become slower and even.

Quietly she stood up from the bed and walked towards the elegant golden curtains, pulling them all closed against the breaking dawn. The sun would be up soon, and she did not want the light disturbing Elladan's healing sleep. After that, she proceed to take the clean and dry dress that had been laid out for her and walked to the door leading to the adjacent washroom to change, eager to get out of her damp and cold one.

Now in the comfort of the clean and warm clothing, she pulled a chair next to the bed and sat on it, taking his hand in hers as she watched him, her heart aching at the sight of his closed eyes. Slowly her own tiredness consumed her, and before she could realize it she was letting her head fall over her folded arms upon the soft, pale gold covers.

"Rina?" She had to blink twice to shake the tiredness from her eyes as she lifted her head to look at Elladan's barely open silver eyes. She had thought he was asleep already.

"Please lie on the bed with me. Do not sleep on that chair, it cannot be comfortable." His voice was barely audible as his eyes pleaded silently. She rose from the chair and sat on the edge of the bed once again, placing her hand over his. She knew he was concerned for her, wanted her comfortable, but she could also feel that he needed her company.

"Will I not hurt you?" She would rather sleep on the hard chair than causing him any unnecessary pain while she slept.

"No" His voice sounded honest, and she believed him.

"Will you tell if I do?" He looked at her for a moment and offered her a reassuring, tired smile that made her feel slightly better.

"I will. Just lie at my right side" She smiled at the specification, already feeling he would be completely honest with her.

Too tired to add anything else, Elerrina climbed on the bed, choosing to lie close to him, already feeling safe and content next to his soothing presence. She could already feel him slowly drifting off, unable to fight sleep any longer, as she rested her head on his chest, just below his right shoulder. She felt his arm wrap around her instinctively as he buried his face in her golden hair, his warm breath caressing the spot just above her ear, becoming slower and relaxed as sleep took hold of him until she knew he was no longer awake.

She felt her own tiredness slowly consume her and she did not fight it, willingly letting the safety of her dreams claim her and, as she slowly drifted off, lying there close to him, feeling the warmth of his body, safe in his arms as he slept peacefully, she knew that she loved him.

Sorry for the long wait, here's the next chapter! Please let me know what you think of it! And thank you again to all of you who reviewed my latest chapter!

Love,

Elena


	25. Almarëa

_She was standing under the heavy canopy of a dense forest, light scarcely filtering in golden rays through the green leaves. She remembered the place, remembered the odd sensation of nothingness: not a sound, not a smell. Without taking the time to explore her surroundings, she let her green eyes travel to the shallow stream that ran a couple of feet ahead of her, already familiar with what was coming. _

_The little elfling was there, crouching on a large rock by the edge of the water, light blond hair hiding his lowered face from view as he looked into the mirror surface. However, this time she did not need to see his face to know his identity. It was Legolas. _

_He remained looking down, completely oblivious to her presence, as had happened before. His hand reached down to the water, playing absently with the clear liquid as his lips moved with the melody of an unheard song. _

_Little Legolas reached his tiny hand down to the water, pressing his palm lightly on the surface as his eyes locked on the wave of soft ripples that emerged at his touch. Elerrina had seen him do this on the previous dream, but this time she knew what to do. She walked closer to the edge of the stream, just across from the playing elfling as she watched him repeat the single move over and over again. _

_Lowering herself to the grass she moved her own hand to touch the water, her fingers falling lightly over the crease of each ripple produced by his hand. She could feel the water, touch it and actually feel the soothing wet coolness over her fingers. It was completely unlike the grass that felt only like a hard surface beneath her knees, merely a projected illusion inside her own mind. _

_The elfling's head suddenly snapped up, and Elerrina held her breath involuntary as her eyes met a big, innocent pair of infinite blue eyes. A smile was drawn on little Legolas' lips as his eyes locked into hers, filled with recognition, acknowledging her presence across the stream from him. _

_She watched silently as the light blond elfling placed his hand once more on the water, his big, soft blue eyes never leaving hers as he smiled, his mouth moving to words she could not hear. She looked at the hand and back into his innocent eyes in confusion just as new ripples danced upon the mirror surface. She understood what he was expecting from her and so she repeated the game, touching the ripples softly as she kept her gaze steady on his. _

_Little Legolas squealed in delight, the sweet, joyful melody of his childish giggles reaching her ears almost like a distant echo. The first sound she heard in that dream yet. He was still looking at her as he pointed a tiny finger to her, his mouth moving once again in words that she could not hear, although she desperately wanted to. She stared as he pointed, repeating his words, not understanding why she was not answering. Then he looked at the water and back up at her, and guessing what he wanted from her Elerrina reached down to the water again. It was her turn. _

_Slowly, she pressed her own palm over the now calmed surface, awaiting to see his reaction, and could not help a wide smile from forming on her lips as the little Prince reached down and touched the ripples in the same way she had seconds ago. It was as if he was answering to her, as if the simple game meant something to him. His giggles echoed distantly again, and she delighted in the sound, so pure and innocent, so filled with life. _

_Then he stood up and quickly spun around, the back of his light blond head facing her now and she watched, predicting exactly what would happen, as he ran away from her and into the forest. _

_The heavy forest transformed again in the bright hall that vanished into white light as she saw Legolas flung himself in the waiting arms of the golden haired lady. The scene repeated itself equally as the last time, the lady pressing her nose to his little one as he squealed. Her golden hair danced around freely as she placed a kiss on the elfling's white forehead, and the tiny elf wrapped his arms securely around her neck as he turned to look at her. _

_For the third time, Elerrina saw his mouth move as his infinite eyes fixed on her, but no words reached her ears. Then, unexpectedly, the golden haired lady turned to face her, her eyes locking with hers in a long, welcoming stare. Elerrina froze at the sight of her delicate features, her pale skin adorned by her golden locks, and her beautiful, familiar, bright green eyes. And, for the first time, the pair of green eyes sparkled with life and joy, looking at her with recognition, and not staring at the dark sky above, empty and glazed in the cold grasp of death… _

Elerrina woke up with a start, taking a sharp intake of breath and blinking a couple of times until she remembered where she was. She closed her eyes trying to erase the bright pair of green eyes from her mind as she concentrated on the soothing rise and fall of her head with every breath Elladan took.

She felt a light kiss pressed gently on her head and her eyes opened once more.

"Bad dream?" Elladan's voice whispered on her ear, sending shivers down her spine as his lips brushed the tip of her pointed ear as he spoke. Immediately she turned to look up to find a gorgeous pair or silver eyes fixed on her, sparkling like stars in the dimly lit room.

"Your are awake!" she whispered back, choosing not to answer his question, as she propped herself up on her elbow to be able to look at him better.

He did not move and continued to lie flatly on his back, his liquid silver eyes staring deeply at her and she felt herself drown inside them, unable to escape his powerful stare. Incapable of containing herself, she leaned forward and pressed her lips fully to his mouth. He kissed her back deepening the short kiss and tilting his head up slightly in a longing effort to make it last longer once she had parted her lips from his. A mischievous grin appeared on his face as he looked up at her, but it vanished too shortly after as darkness flashed in his eyes and his expression turned empty, exactly like Elrohir's had been the last time she had seen him.

She started to push herself up into a sitting position, but his strong arm held her down, pulling her body close to his, and she did not fight it. Instead, she rested her head on his chest again, feeling his gloomy mood radiate from his body in waves. Elerrina felt relieved upon realizing that his grip was once again as strong as ever.

The image of the golden hair lady, with bright green eyes fixed deeply on her as she held the squealing elfling in her arms, flashed through her mind once again, followed by the haunting image of the same green eyes staring blankly at the sky, dead. She had seen that same beautiful lady in her nightmares before, always lifeless on the cold ground, surrounded by hundreds of bodies whose souls had already departed this world.

"How long have I slept?" she asked in an attempt to deviate her thoughts. She could see the bright sunlight battling to filter through the heavy curtains that kept the room dark.

"Longer than me, and you were not the one drugged" he answered softly and she could almost hear a mocking smile appearing on his lips as his hand reached to brush a strand of golden hair from her face. She chuckled lightly at his words.

"How is your shoulder?" Elerrina let the tips of her fingers wander lightly over the edges of the white bandages covering his left shoulder, not daring to touch the areas closer to the wound.

He took her hand in his; gently lifting it from his chest and shoulder to his lips and kissed it lightly. She could not tell if the action was perhaps to remove her hand from the wounded area, preventing it from accidentally touching it, but she did not ask or say anything. He looked at her for a moment, seeming to consider her question before answering.

"Would you give me special treatment if I say it hurts terribly?" His eyes sparkled with mischief and she raised her eyebrows at his playful tone, managing to sit up and look down at him.

"In that case, I will go fetch a healer or Elrohir and ask them to bring you some of that pain relieving tea. Perhaps that could help you rest a little more."

He chuckled lightly and shook his head as sat up against the elegant headboard, pushing himself up with only his right arm while his left was kept still at his side.

"No need for that. I am fine, it was merely a scratch" She threw him a glare as she rose from the bed and walked to open the heavy curtains. His definition of a scratch did not match hers in the slightest, yet she knew he was skilled healer and could take care of himself.

Light filled the room when Elerrina opened the curtains that led to the large balcony, the soft breeze of the day caressing her face as it was once again allowed into the room. She turned again to observe Elladan, who had remained sitting against the headboard with his head looking down, eyes closed and breathing deeply.

She waited patiently as his dizziness passed and his silver eyes fluttered open to look at her again. She had seen many injured men in her small village, and knew to expect dizziness after losing a considerable amount of blood. She had even helped in the caring of some when she was an elfling, always bringing bowls of steaming water and towels, but she was no healer.

Elerrina watched him flung his legs to the side of the bed and she walked to offer her help but he waved it off with his hand as he rose to his feet steadily. He got himself a clean tunic in a rich navy blue color and threw it on. She helped him to carefully slip his left arm inside the long sleeve, making sure she was as gentle as she could.

"Thank you" he whispered as he placed a quick kiss on her lips.

He let his right hand travel to her neck, the tips of his fingers gently brushing her skin as it slid down the back of her neck. Her heart raced at the gentle touch, threatening to jump out of her chest and she tried in vain not to show the shivers that ran through her body. The soft caress of his hand reached her right collarbone, stopping when his slender fingers came in contact with the thin silver chain around her neck. His fingers then proceeded to trace the path of the chain, down her collarbone and to her chest, slowly, gently, as his eyes followed closely.

Her heart beat faster as his fingers slowly approached the point where the pearl and the ring hung, almost fearing if he would be able to touch the ring. However, just as his fingers were about to fall on the hanging tiny pearl, he stopped and removed his hand, which fell slowly back to his side. Elerrina froze as his eyes turned up to look into hers, the taller pair of silver eyes piercing intently, trapping her, speaking loudly without words. He knew.

She expected him to talk, to say anything, but he did not. Instead, she silently watched the eldest Son of Elrond as he turned away from her and sat on the edge of the bed, his body facing her, and yet his face turned to the large balcony, eyes fixed somewhere in the distance.

She remained frozen, unable to move, and struggling to breath evenly in an effort to calm her thundering heart at the hard expression on his face. His lips were pressed together in a line, and his empty eyes were cold and unfriendly, glinted with iced hatred, almost trembling in rage. Elladan refused to look at her, almost as if he felt ashamed of her seeing his eyes so hard and cold, as if scared the iced stare would cause her to fear him.

Elerrina did not speak, did not even dare to move, her eyes glued to him, silently beckoning him to look her way. She felt her heart tighten as her insides trembled in fear of his sudden rejection, at the way in which he had abruptly turned away from her.

Slowly, Elladan turned his face in her direction, her heart sinking deeper as his eyes lingered on the floor, refusing to meet her green ones, a thing they were usually eager to do. He kept them low, hidden from her view under his lowered dark lashes, as his right arm extended towards her, motioning her to go to him.

She felt herself release the breath she did not know she had been holding, and hurried to him, letting his strong arm pull her to sit on his lap, tightly pressing her back to his chest. He pressed his forehead to her shoulder from behind, eyes hidden tightly in the fabric of her dress as he held her by the waist, the grip holding her for dear life, unwilling to let her go. His silky dark hair fell over her shoulder and side of her neck, the top of his head brushing her cheek softly as she felt the weight of his head just next to her neck.

She could feel his heart bumping hardly on his chest and uncontainable, strong emotions swirling freely through him, making him tremble lightly in rage as he desperately tried to control himself. She could feel his body emanate a wild storm of fear, despair, pain, hopelessness, anger, hatred, and rage.

Immediately Elerrina understood that his emotions were both his and Elrohir's combined; that it had been through Elrohir's mind that he had come to know of the ring hanging on her neck; and that the reaction he was having to the events of the past night was the same younger twin had tried to hide and control the night before, only that she could not feel Elrohir's emotions as she could Elladan's. She knew that the twins shared an incredibly tight bond, and that they could feel exactly what the other felt.

She wanted to embrace him, but remained unmoving, allowing him all the time he needed. After a moment he seemed to slowly calm down from his fury, and the tight hold of his arm on her waist became softer, allowing her to shift in his arms to the side so she could look at him. Elladan removed his head from her shoulder, but immediately turned away form her, eyes once again fixed on the floor, unwilling to meet her gaze.

"What happened during the battle last night? What did you discuss with Glorfindel?"

She tensed as his mouth spoke the questions she had hoped she would not need to answer him. But then again, he already knew. There was no way Elrohir could have kept it form him.

"How much do you already know?" her voice came out as only a whisper, sounding calmed and soothing. She did not know the specific reason, but both twins had raged with hatred upon hearing the story of their father's capture; a hatred that went deeper than just anger.

"All of it" he said with a sigh as he finally turned his face to look at her, saddened liquid silver eyes staring softly into her forest green ones. She reached her hand to his cheek and he leaned into her gentle touch. His hand reached once again to trace the thin chain around her neck to indicate just how much he knew.

"Would you like me to tell you again?" Elerrina would not mind telling the long story again, if he needed to hear it. He seemed to consider her words for a minute as his eyes looked down once more. After a long moment he shook his head. No.

"Forgive me" he said finally as his eyes stared into hers. "Elrohir is slowly going into despair and the thought of my Adar in the hands of those creatures…." He trailed off as his eyes hardened again. He sighed and changed the direction if his words

"There is not much we can do to help at the moment. The orcs took off in every direction, and we have no knowledge which group carried my father. Search parties set off at dawn, one in every possible direction until we can find a track. Once we do, Elrohir and I will go, and I am sure Glorfindel will too, with as many elves as possible, but we cannot leave the valley until then. We cannot leave the people of Imladris in my father's absence. They are our people."

She nodded in understanding as she felt part of his despair. She remembered her own despair when she had found Naervaiel dead, and she had been unable to do anything about it. She had raged. She had blamed him, had hit him endlessly, desperately wanting him to feel as much pain as she felt. Yet, she could only image how greater the despair could feel, knowing that the twins could still help their father, and at the same time, could not. She kissed him gently on the lips, providing the little comfort she could.

"There is one more thing your father said to me before he was captured. I did not tell Elrohir."

Elladan's eyebrows shot up questioningly as his eyes looked puzzled, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"He told me to search on his desk. The second drawer to the left." She stared into his eyes, seeking for an answer inside the gorgeous silver irises. Perhaps he already knew what was in the drawer; perhaps he would tell her not to look. She wanted to search in the desk, curiosity getting the best of her. Yet, Lord Elrond's ring around her neck already proved why some things were best kept a secret.

"And you have not looked in the drawer yet" he stated, reading her as easily as usual. Elerrina nodded her head but remained silent.

"Do you want me to go with you while you look? Or would you rather do it by yourself? I can arrange it for no one to disturb you inside the study, if you want me to" She smiled softly at his words, feeling that he would not press her.

"Do you already know what is kept inside it?" she asked him.

"No. He keeps all sorts of things inside his desk. Mostly paperwork."

"Would you go with me?" She did not know what she would find inside the study, but knew that with Elladan by her side, it would all right. He kissed her lightly on the cheek before answering her.

"Of course"

She stood up from his lap to allow him to stand. He led her out of the bedchamber and into the large hallways of the house. Despair and hopelessness floated through the long corridors and elegant halls as all the elves in the house waited anxiously for news about their Lord. Elladan led her through deserted hallways, not in the mood to be noticed by any elf and having to start a conversation.

They reached the elegant study in less time than she had expected. Elladan let her go in first and closed the heady doors after him, leaving the large room only to themselves. With a quick glance around the study she noticed that everything still remained in its exact place. It seemed no one had had the courage to touch anything, not even to arrange the mess of papers that now lay on the floor, blown out from the neat pile upon the desk by a soft breeze that filtered through a cracked window.

If the sight of the empty room had any effect on the elder twin, he did not show it. He slowly walked by her to the large desk and she watched him gently slide a hand upon the oak surface, as if lost in his thoughts. Elladan turned to look at her, his silver eyes encouraging in a long loving stare.

"Go ahead" he said softly, offering her a smile.

Without answering, Elerrina reached for the indicated drawer, her fingers wrapping around the elaborate copper handle. Shaking away a last moment of doubt, she slowly pulled it open and the wooden drawer slid out easily with a soft brushing sound. She had not known what she was expecting, but felt her heart sink upon seeing what was kept in the drawer: Papers, many parchments of papers.

She saw Elladan furrow his brow at her disappointed look as he took a couple of steps closer to her.

"What is it?"

Elerrina looked at him before looking down at the drawer filled with papers. Carefully she grabbed them in her hands and looked at the top one closely. She then turned to glance quickly at the next one, and then the next, not really reading much of them.

"They are letters"

She looked back at him, her green eyes puzzled. She did not comprehend anything. Why letters? Elladan, however, did not seem willing to remain confused and he took the bunch of old, yellowish paper from her hand and divided in half, keeping on with him and handing her back the other.

"You read those, and I will read these" he instructed, but she remained looking at him, hesitant.

"Are you sure we should read them?" It did not feel right to read some else's correspondence, let alone the Lord of Imladris'. Elladan seemed to notice her reluctance for he addressed her again.

"He said to search into the drawer. If your conscience does not allow you to read my father's letters, I can assure you that my conscience is perfectly fine with it. If you do not read your half then I will read them all. I have done worse things." He grinned mischievously as his eyes sparkled with carefreeness and she wondered what other worse things had he done.

Sighing in defeat she threw herself on a large seat and remorsefully read the top letter in her stash. Elladan threw himself on a comfortable couch that resembled more a long chair, a couple of feet from her, eyes already scanning quickly over the scribbled words.

The letter was not old, only from a couple of years ago, and it reported about some sort of trade route. There was nothing special or different about it, so she placed it apart on a small table and proceeded with the next letter. Not much older than the first one, the letter informed about slight orc activity around a travelling route from the Imladris to Lothlórien. Sighing again, she placed it over the first one and continued with the third.

The range of the letters varied from reports on patrols, trade routes and orc activity, to friendly letters that merely shared the situations in other elven realms. She smiled when she read a letter announcing the engagement of two Lorien elves, and inviting the Lord of Imladris to attend the wedding celebrations.

A short and sweet letter caught her attention, making her smile with the happy news it bore as her eyes read the neat, cursive writing.

_Elrond, _

_I delight in the pleasure of writing to you upon the occasion of the birth of my youngest. My wife and I have been blessed with a beautiful daughter that we named Almarëa. She has Alarya's golden hair and gorgeous green eyes and does not resemble me in the slightest. I find it needless to say that Mirkwood rejoices with a new Princess, especially Legolas, who appears thrilled at not being the youngest any longer. Although born not a day ago, Almarëa has already captured my heart entirely. I extend my gratitude to you and Celebrian for the thoughtful present, and I am sure my daughter will not let go of her new silver rattle. _

_My best wishes to you and Celebrian, as well as your handsome sons, and fortunately expecting a visit from your part shortly, _

_Thranduil_

She did not know if the letter made her smile the most because of its joyful news, or because it mentioned the twins and Legolas in it. Smiling, she put it down on the table over the other letters and continued with the next one. It was a letter in the same elegant cursive writing than the one before, but considerably shorter.

_Elrond,_

_With pain in my heart I desperately ask you to offer your protection to my youngest daughter Almarëa. We both know she will be safer in Imladris. _

_Thranduil_

The short and urgent tone of the letter made her shiver, even though she did not understand its message. So much was left out as the letter had been reduced to it simplest form: two sentences, no detailed explanations. Yet something else seemed disturbing about it: the name Almarëa. Something rang inside her head every time her eyes read over the name, like a piece of a long forgotten fairytale. She looked at the date of the letter: slightly more than a year after the one announcing the birth.

The next letter was not written by the same expert hand, and the message made her heart sting.

_Lord Elrond_

_I write in the name of my King Thranduil, and I grieve with the tormenting news I bring you. The party of Mirkwood will not reach Imladris, as it was victim to an unexpected orc attack. The ambush took place near a village of men, a couple of day's travel from Imladris. Among the dead, we mourn our Queen Alarya and her youngest daughter Almarëa. Not a single elf was left breathing after the brutal massacre. _

Her heart stopped at the news, burning with the agonizing news the letter bore. Yet, something else in the letter made her freeze, her body tensed as she felt a wave of cold wash over her. She read the letter again, and then a third time. Then she looked at the date of the letter: her birth date. Or at least, what had been used as her birth date, the day Naeraviel had taken her home with her.

"Elerrina?"

Elladan's low voice, calling her name made her look away from the yellowish paper held tightly in her hands. He was looking at her with cautious silver eyes, his expression solemn as he watched her carefully. His eyes were wide, shocked, and she noticed he was standing straight, and not comfortably thrown on the couch as before.

Feeling fear and anxiousness take hold of her, she slowly walked to his side, her heart beating wildly inside her chest. He watched her closely, his expression as if she were made of glass and would break. Slowly, he offered her the letter he held in his hand, and she felt his arm gently push her to sit down on the couch as she allowed her eyes to glance at the written words.

She recognized the elegant scribble immediately as she did not think it twice before carefully reading the most tormenting letter of all. The sentences were short, straight to the point.

_Elrond _

_My daughter, Almarëa lives. She has been taken in by a young woman who raises her in a small village not far from Imladris. She learns their customs, talks the common tongue and knows not of her identity. Part of me wishes she did, and yet deep inside of me I know it will be safest if she grows up among men, and let everyone continue to believe her dead, as I myself did until now. No one must know she lives, I will not even tell my sons. It pains me immensely to know my daughter lives and I cannot claim her back, but instead have to deny her existence. I know the village falls under the range of your powers and protection and I beg you with all my heart to please keep and eye on her. It is the only thing I have left to give her. She goes by the name Elerrina. _

_I will be forever in your debt,_

_Thranduil _

I know this is the chapter many of you were waiting for. Let me know what you think! And I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

Love,

Elena


	26. Walls Tumble Down

The room seemed to shrink, suddenly appearing too small, too enclosed, trapping her. Air had been cut off from her lungs as she struggled to breathe, but it felt as if every breath she took lacked oxygen. She breathed heavily, her chest constricting and her lungs seeming to be incapable of expanding. She felt like she was drowning, gasping for air as a fish out of the water, but the pressure upon her chest only became stronger.

The letter was clutched tightly in her hands, her fingers almost ripping the old yellowish parchment as they trembled. She was shaking. Something burned inside her, the feeling becoming stronger, as if her blood had been turned into fire inside her veins. The words in the elegant cursive writing danced in front of her eyes mixing in a wild hurricane, tormenting her, making her feel mad, insane.

_My daughter lives…Almarëa…offer your protection…deny her existence…goes by the name Elerrina…_ Her throat tightened and she instinctively reached a trembling hand to it, struggling to breathe. Her emotions were a wild mixture burning inside her veins, and she could not name them. Shock? Fear? Anger? She did not know but it burned. It burned with a fire she had never felt before.

Distantly she could hear Elladan calling her name, but she could barely hear him. Everything seemed to have disappeared as she trembled, clenching her teeth together. A lie. She had been a lie. Her life had been a lie. She gasped for air once again, her hand now clutching the neckline of her dress, trying desperately to make it easier to breath. She felt everything crumble down. Nothing was true. She was not herself, and she certainly did not know who she was anymore. She felt as if her identity had been stolen from her.

Elladan called again, or at least that was what she thought, his voice sounded so faint and distant to her ears, she did not even notice he was now kneeling in front of her. It was only when he reached for her hand, and his skin touched hers, that the fire inside of her was suddenly took complete hold of her, snapping her from her shocked trance.

"Elerrina?" He asked in a worried, soft whisper. Elerrina. Was that her anymore? Had she ever been Elerrina? Was Elerrina even real?

"Elerrina?" he gently grabbed her by the shoulders.

"THAT IS NOT MY NAME!" She yelled as hard as her lungs allowed her, forcefully pushing his arms away from her. She did not even know which was her name any longer.

He took a step back, eyeing her cautiously, concerned. The fire inside her snapped, burning far too much to control it any longer. She was angry, furious, and trembling in rage. Breathing was becoming harder each time as she gasped loudly now, struggling with the neckline of her dress. She needed air. Her vision blurred with angry tears that fell against her will. Elladan reached for her again, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Elerrina, breathe"

"DO NOT CALL ME THAT! DO NOT TOUCHT ME!" she pushed his arms away again, as harshly and strongly as she could while she jumped to her feet. He reached for her again, this time holding her tighter while she pushed his arms away once more.

"GO AWAY! LET GO OF ME!" She pushed him hard, but he held tighter, struggling against her, both of his arms wrapping tightly around her as he pressed her to him. She gasped for air again, a chocked sob escaping her every time she released her breath. She pushed him, using all her body to fight his hold, fighting with her elbows, back and arms, but could not escape.

"try to breathe"

"LEAVE ME ALONE! GO AWAY!" She flung her shoulders forcefully against his chest, trying desperately to release herself from his strong grip, but to no avail. He was much stronger that her, and his arms wrapped tightly around her, pressing her against him until she could not move, her arms tight over her chest. She pushed again, hitting him with her elbows as hard as he could, searching for an escape, but managed nothing.

She heard the heavy door being suddenly thrown open and steps running into the room upon hearing the commotion. Between her hysteric fight against Elladan's hold, she caught a glimpse of Elrohir rushing to where they stood, a worried and shocked expression on his face. She kept hitting and pushing, but Elladan would not let her go.

"LET GO OF ME! DO NOT TOUCH ME! I HATE YOU!" She did not know what else to scream. Elrohir was now in front of her, his silver eyes scanning her frantically, trying to figure out what was wrong. He exchanged a look with his twin before turning back to her, his arms touching her shoulders lightly as his grey eyes looked into hers, extremely concerned and shocked.

"Elerrina!"

"DO NOT CALL ME THAT!" Elrohir now grabbed her head gently in his hands, but let go quickly, not sure as to what was causing her to rage that way. His eyes found the paper wrinkled inside her hand and he quickly took it from her.

"Breathe" whispered Elladan in her ear, but she could not obey, her lungs seemed unwilling to grasp any oxygen.

"There is nothing to see in here" She saw Elrohir order sternly as he glanced to the open door, where a bunch of elves had already gathered upon hearing the commotion. The elves quickly obeyed Elrohir as they started to leave and continue with they chores, and she saw the younger twin quickly scan his eyes over the letter, reading it fast.

More footsteps ran into the room, quickly rushing to Elrohir's side and she felt her rage double at the sight the light blond hair and infinite blue eyes. He was the last person she wanted to see at the moment.

"What in Ard…Elerrina!" He exclaimed, eyes scared, worried. He seemed shocked, not knowing what to do.

"Calm down." Elladan whispered in her ear again, only to receive another gasp for air from her part. She felt she was chocking, but that did not stop her from slamming her arms at him again, still struggling with his iron hold.

"DO NOT TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" The written words still danced in front of her eyes. She felt her whole life suddenly disappear, suddenly all seemed staged, an illusion. The younger twin tensed, his eyes wide as he looked up from the piece of paper. He had read the letter.

"Go. Now." She heard Elrohir say to Legolas, his tone stern, warning, and his powerful silver stare left no space for discussion. Legolas seemed taken aback by the sudden, unfriendly dismissal as his eyes widened in both surprise and confusion. However, he did not argue as he quickly nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him and leaving her alone with the twins.

She gasped again, the neck of dress chocking her, she felt she would asphyxiate. She was suffocating, trying desperately to breathe, and at the same time to break out from Elladan's hold. He kept trying to calm her down, whispering her to breathe, as he pressed against his body in a tight embrace. But she kept pushing and struggling.

"Elerrina! Calm down! Breathe!" Elrohir grabbed her by the shoulders with both hands, looking deeply into her eyes to stress his words with a powerful stare. She could not look away from his silver eyes, but did nothing to obey his orders.

"Elerrina! You need to calm down! You are hurting Elladan!" Elrohir continued, protective of his brother.

That seemed to finally get her attention and she froze. She still felt she was suffocating, taking large intakes of breath as her lungs begged for oxygen, but she stopped struggling against Elladan's hold. Elrohir was staring at her, silent, only waiting patiently as if afraid that any movement would cause her to burst out again.

Now that she had stopped moving around she felt a little more air reach her lungs, and she finally breathed heavily. Slowly, Elladan's strong arms wrapped around her began to feel better, the pressure calming her nerves and slowing her racing heart. Her previously despaired gasps for air turned into chocked sobs, and after a few seconds her whole body was shaking with sobs as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

She did not know why she was crying; she could not name the emotions that wracked her body at that moment. Was it out of shock? Was it out of ire at all of those who had known who she was and had never told her? Was it out of shame and guilt for loosing her control in such a way? Her knees gave out, incapable of supporting her any longer, and she would have sunk to the ground had not been for Elladan's hold supporting her weight as she sunk slightly.

He shifted his hold on her, sliding one arm behind her knees and easily lifting her in his arms as he carried her to the couch. She turned her face to his chest and found the left side of his tunic stained with fresh blood, and she felt extremely guilty as new tears of shame escaped her eyes. His face did not betray any pain or any discomfort as he used both of his arms with equal strength, yet she knew the wound had to be very painful.

Elladan sat down on the couch with her still in his arms, placing her on his lap as he cradled her like a child. She felt like a child. Her sobs finally stopped and she was able to breathe normally, although still slightly shaking. She remained still for long minutes, staring into nothingness, her mind empty of any thought, her body void of emotion.

Elrohir kneeled on the floor in front on her, his silver eyes large, like a grey stormy sea, as he watched in shock and concern. He said nothing, and yet she found his silence to be comforting. She heard the door open again and footsteps walking quickly to them, but did not turn to look, her body not willing to make the effort it took to turn her head.

"What happened here? Legolas says something is amiss" She recognized the voice of the Balrog Slayer and could perfectly picture his soft blue eyes darting from Elladan to Elrohir, alert.

Elerrina saw Elrohir hand him the letter without a word of explanation, followed by a long moment of silence. She looked up in time to see Glorfindel's blue eyes widen as he turned to look at her, the expression on his face as if he was seeing a ghost. He did not say anything for a long moment, only staring at her, frozen. Then he turned to look at Elladan.

"I will fetch Selemar so he can see to your shoulder" he said flatly in a low voice as he folded the letter in four and slipped it in his pocket. It became clear that he had nothing to say about the new revelation of Elerrina's true identity, or if he did, he was not willing to share. Without another word, the golden haired warrior turned on his heels and strolled out of the room.

All Elerrina could think of where the beautiful images from her dream. She saw little Legolas in the beautiful Lady's arms; saw her long golden locks and bright green eyes. Her same golden hair; her same green eyes. The image felt so different now. It was her mother, her birth mother, and Legolas her brother. She saw the tormenting image of the same beautiful Lady sprawled dead on the ground: The night she had been adopted by Naervaiel; the night she had become Elerrina.

_Almarëa, _she thought. Her name; her birth name. Such a beautiful name and yet it sounded so strange, like the name of a person she had never met, and Elerrina…even that name sounded strange now, like a mask, a veil to blind her eyes from the truth, an invented person. And more so, Lord Elrond knew all along.

"Would you like some water?" Elladan whispered softly to her after she had completely calmed down, her breathing once again slow and even. His silver eyes looked concerned as he brushed a strand of her long golden hair out of her face. Elerrina nodded her head lightly, the movement almost unnoticed. She did not trust her voice to speak, in fact, she was not even sure she had a voice at that moment.

"I will get it" said Elrohir before Elladan could move or say anything.

Elerrina could see clear shock still written on the younger twin's eyes as he rose to his feet and left the room at a hurried pace. He returned less than five minutes after, carrying a crystal glass filled with water in his hand. Gently, he handed it to her, making sure she had a complete hold of it before letting go. He then kneeled on the floor again, in front of her, as he exchanged a long look with his twin. Slowly, she sipped from the glass in her hands, the water making her feel ten times better as it slid down her throat, refreshing and soothing her nervous body.

Glorfindel returned with the slightly shorter, blond healer at his heels, the latter carrying a bowl with some water and other supplies. Selemar threw Elladan a reproachful look as his honey-colored eyes roamed over the blood covered tunic. She felt guilty once more as she was once again reminded that it had been her hysteric struggling that had reopened the wound.

"My Lord, I will need you to remove your tunic. You will need new stitches" said the blond healer softly as he set the bowl and healing supplies in a little table by the couch.

"Come" She heard Glorfindel say softly as he extended a hand to her, his deep blue eyes tranquil and soothing, offering her a small smile. She accepted the hand and he helped her back to her feet while Elladan released his hold on her. She would have preferred to stay sitting on the Son of Elrond's lap, feeling comfortable in his arms, but he needed to be tended.

The golden haired warrior placed his arm lightly around her shoulders in a comforting touch. He then turned to Elrohir and handed him back the folded letter.

"Legolas should read this also. The sooner, the better" The dark haired elf nodded silently while Glorfindel slowly started to lead her out of the study. She felt as if her mind had been temporarily shut down, her thoughts blank as her feet walked on their own.

"Do you need something for the pain, my Lord?" she heard Selemar ask but did not turn to look.

"Yes, he does" Came Elrohir's answer just as she and Glorfindel reached the door and exited the elegant study, closing it behind them. Elerrina felt another wave of guilt and shame at the younger twin's words. She knew Elladan's face would not betray any pain, but also knew that Elrohir could see and feel behind his composed mask. She knew Elrohir could tell the exact amount of pain Elladan was in.

Glorfindel led her to the kitchens where she could see some elves working on preparing the next meal. He gently guided her to a small table in a corner and onto a stool, getting a plate with some bread, cheese and strawberries before sitting in front of her.

"Eat something" he said fatherly with a faint smile as he placed the plate in front of her. "You look pale, and just had a great shock and a panic attack. Some food will make you feel better"

She tried to smile in thanks, but doubted that her lips had managed to curve up even slightly. Silently she picked on the food, not really hungry, but nonetheless feeling somehow better. Glorfindel remained silent in front of her, suddenly looking approachable and not like the glorified mighty warrior she knew he was.

"My Lord?" she said, finally feeling able to speak again.

"Yes?" he said soflty, his kind blue eyes looking at her, patiently waiting for her to speak. She gathered the courage she needed to speak her next question.

"Did you know?" he offered her a sad smile and sighed before answering her question.

"No" He said simply, but honestly as his eyes looked at her again, almost searching to see if she was fine. She turned to look down at her plate, unsure of what she was feeling.

"What will happen now?" she asked faintly, not sure she wanted to hear an answer.

"I do not know" he answered gently, truthfully.

"Am I expected to be Almarëa? I am not sure I know her, she feels like a different person. I do not want to be a different person, and I no longer know myself." Her voice was barely audible, hinted with uncertainty as she looked at the golden haired warrior's soft blue eyes, searching for some answer or reassurance.

Glorfindel placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand, as he narrowed his eyes in a fake gesture of deep thought.

"What if…" he started, his eyes looking past her and into the distance. "What if the twins were accidentally switched at birth, and nobody noticed. What if Elladan is really Elrohir, and was not born first, but second, and no one knows. Would that make you like Elrohir instead because he was originally Elladan before the switch? Elladan might have a different name, and not be the firstborn any longer, but would that make him any different than he is? Would that make him a different person?"

"No" she answered softly, her lips curving up in a small smile, understanding his hypothetic scene.

"I think so too" said the Balrog Slayer with a kind, wide smile. "He would still be himself, regardless of a name. As for you, you will forever be you, one fëa in one body, only that now you know the truth of who you really are. Whether you choose to be named Elerrina or Almarëa does not change anything. True that the revelations makes you a princess, and you now have a father and siblings, but I do not believe that you are a different person."

She stared into his soft blue eyes, feeling incredibly better than she did before, incredibly grateful for his words of reassurance.

"Besides, you are not the only one who is in for a shock today" He chuckled softly and her smile broadened as she thought of Legolas. She liked the blond elven Prince, and suddenly, accepting that she was Almarëa did not seem bad at all. It would take some time, but she knew that knowing her true inheritance was way better than not knowing. Still there were many things left out in the letters, many other truths she wanted to know.

"My Lord? Do you know why was I being brought here to Imladris in the first place? Why did I need protection?" She was not sure if Glorfindel knew the answers, or if he would be willing to share them with her, but she had to try.

The golden haired warrior turned around to check if there was anyone near them, but the kitchens were empty now, the elves gone to do some other chores before the meal needed to be served. He sighed and stared at her, his expression once again serious, but tranquil, as he spoke in a very low, barely audible tone.

"Lord Elrond was going to raise you as one of his own, that was the accord. As to why, I do not entirely know. All that I will tell you is that both Elrond and Thranduil probably knew not the complete extent of your powers, and I am still not sure they do. I myself do not. All I dare say is that Elrond was not expecting this connection you share with the ring."

His eyes glanced quickly at the thin chain around her neck before he continued.

"You have to be very careful, Elerrina. I believe, as I am sure Elrond did, that hiding you was as important as hiding Vilya. I do not know how the orcs acquired knowledge about the ring, nor do I know how they figured Elrond was the master of one of them. There is more than one ring like this one you carry, and I have reasons to doubt that this familiarity you share with Vilya is unique to it. There exists the possibility that you share a connection with all the rings and, if that is the case, you could be used to track them, find them. And trying to find them, they are"

Yet another chapter! I hope the wait did not seem too long! I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!

And thank you deeply to Glory Bee, Coco, Zee, MinNinniach, booklover1498, Soverreignty3, PeaceLoveUnicors94, Paperlanterns86, and my guest reviewers for your comments on the last chapter.

Love,

Elena


	27. Thoughts On The Forgotten

Elerrina sat silently at the edge of her own bed, staring into nothingness. The sun was beginning to set in the horizon painting the sky a bright shade of pink behind the golden trees. Birds chirped at the balcony and outside her window, but apart from that, the valley was quiet. No song could be heard, no elflings running around the gardens. It seemed that even Vilya, securely kept around her neck, had shut down after the disappearance of the Lord of Imladris, as it merely glowed dimly without even the slightest whisper.

Glorfindel had escorted her to her own chambers after she had eaten a little. Faelilla had arrived shortly after, and had combed patiently through her hair once she had washed and changed into a clean dress. Part of her had hopped that the water could wash away all of her feelings, but such hope did not come true. Now, after both elves had retired, she was left alone to her thoughts and torments, to the unceasing storm of her own mind as the dying Sun marked an end to the life she had known.

She remembered her small house where she had grown up, her little plain room where Naeraviel had read bedtime stories to her. She remembered the village, running around with the other children, almost believing she was one of them. It felt different to remember her life after she knew the story behind how she came to live there. She had never been a lost, orphaned elf as she had always thought.

"_Mommy, why are my ears pointy?" She asked curiously as she climbed into her mother's lap, her little hands reaching to her ears. She could have passed for any four-year-old child, except for the natural glow of her pale skin, and the pointed shape of her ears hidden under her loose, golden hair. It was already dark outside, and a single candle lamp lighted the room, which was decorated plainly. _

_Naeraviel placed down the blanket she had been knitting, and wrapped her arms around Elerrina who bounced energetically on her lap, her hands stretching up to grab her mother's round ears. _

"_Because you are an elf, my child. You know that." she replied with an amused laugh as she lowered her head so the little elfling could reach her ears. Elerrina's little mouth opened in a big oh as understanding flashed her large green eyes. _

"_Aaaaah, so that is why!" she exclaimed, opening her little arms to her sides, and earning another amused laugh from Naeraviel. _

"_But Mommy, why am I an elf? Are you an elf? Your ears are not pointy. Do all elves have pointy ears?" She tilted her head to the side in confusion, as her large eyes started into the woman's dark brown ones, feeling warm and cozy in her arms. _

"_No, Elerrina, I am not an elf. You also knew that already. And yes, all elves have pointed ears, just as all men have rounded ones." Naeraviel answered with a wide smile and Elerrina opened her mouth once again, ready to fire a bunch of new questions. _

"_Mommy, you told me I had an elf mommy, but she had to leave. Is she coming back? Is she my mommy? You are my mommy. Can I have two mommies?" Her large, green eyes shone with confusion at the innocent questions, too young to really comprehend the reality of things. _

"_No, my child, she is not coming back." Was all the woman said as her fingers brushed through Elerrina's messy golden hair, tying it all in a single braid behind her back. The little elfling remained silent for a moment, allowing her mother to neatly braid her hair. _

"_Mommy?" she asked in low voice now, lifting her head to look at Naeraviel's loving brown eyes. _

"_Yes, my Elerrina?" _

"_Will you forever be my mommy? Or will you also have to go like my first mommy?" Naeraviel smiled broadly at her and Elerrina felt content and safe under the kind light of her smile. _

"_I will be your mommy as long as you want me to" Elerrina smiled back, showing her tiny white teeth as her little arms wrapped securely around the woman's neck. _

"_Then, I want you to be my mommy forever."_

She felt a wave of guilt and shame as she remembered the beautiful golden haired Lady of her dreams. She had not recognized her own mother as she carried the squealing Legolas in her arms. She felt she had betrayed her by loving Naeraviel instead, by calling the woman her mother, and yet that is what the young woman had been to her, her mother, and she had loved her dearly.

She now wondered if Naeraviel had ever known about her true inheritance, if she had ever known that her father and family still lived. How much about the little elf she had raised had she really known? Another memory crossed her mind, this time one she had almost completely forgotten.

_The sky was dark outside, the pale moonlight filtering lightly through the small window located on the little house's main room. She sat patiently on a wooden chair by the square table, while Naeraviel cooked dinner only a few feet away. Her hands turning the large pages of a beautifully illustrated book her mother had given her for her birthday that year. She was a little older now, easily mistaken for a seven or eight-year-old child, as her clothes were all in the style of men and her long golden hair fell loosely over her back, tousled. _

_Outside, the village was quiet, all the children already in their homes enjoying a meal with their families, and all the men who left to hunt during the day had already returned. It was the most tranquil hour of the day, and Elerrina enjoyed it dearly as she spent some time in the welcoming warmth of the little house with her mother. _

_A knock on the plain wooden door made her little head look up form her book. Rarely would they receive visitors at this hour of the day. She slid out of her chair, placing the book on the table, which was still considerably tall compared to her short height, as Naeraviel cleaned her hands on a kitchen towel before turning to the door. _

"_Stay there" Naeraviel told her as she went to get the door. Elerrina simply nodded, her eyes following her mother while she rested her tiny hand upon the book placed on the table that reached almost to her shoulders. _

_She watched attentively as the woman opened the door to their visitor. Naeraviel took a couple of steps back as her eyes widened in surprise, she seemed to recognize whoever was at the door, but Elerrina could not see the stranger yet. She remained frozen, watching as her mother stepped back to allow the visitor inside the humble house. _

_A tall figure stepped into the room, dressed in a long, dark velvet cloak with a hood that hid his face in darkness. Involuntary she took a step back as she stared intently at the newcomer. She could not see any feature underneath the dark hood, but he did not look like any man she had seen in her village before. He was taller than any man, and his posture was different, regal. The bottom of his cloak was embroidered in silver threat, tracing patters she had never seen or imagined before._

_His head turned in her direction as he entered the piece, but his face remained in darkness. She could feel his eyes looking intently at her although she could not see them. Elerrina felt sudden fear at the stranger, but did not back away as his hidden eyes stared at her. She felt incredibly tiny at the sight of the tall man. _

_Naeraviel quickly closed the door after the strange man and turned to face her with a serious but kind expression on her face. _

"_Elerrina, go upstairs. I will go read you a story in a while" She said in a gentle, sweet voice that indicated she was not wanted in the room. _

_Elerrina nodded silently, slowly grabbing her book with both hands and turning to leave. She felt the stranger's eyes follow her as she walked to the narrow staircase. She risked one last look at the tall, cloaked figure as she started to climb, and swore she had seen a glint of silver flash underneath the dark hood... _

Now, she would have recognized such tall body build and regal posture anywhere, as well for the beautiful style of the cloak and its silver embroidery. The visitor had been an elf, and she held no doubt. So she had indeed seen an elf in her childhood, only that she never knew. How could have she known? His face was never visible to her, not even for a tiny second, much less his ears. Now the memory made more sense: the elf had known who she was, but then, had Naeraviel known? Was she ever told? How she wished she could have seen the stranger's face…

A soft knock on the door made her wake up from her trance of memories. She did not answer, and heard the newcomer turn the doorknob and push the door open. She turned her head to gaze at the new elf in the room, and her green eyes met a beautiful pair of light blue ones that seemed to extend infinitely, like large clear oceans.

The elven Prince closed the door gently behind him and stood there for a couple of seconds, his body slightly tensed as his eyes stared at her. She felt nervous, part of her scared and part of her content as she gazed at the light blond elf; the brother she had not known she had.

"Elrohir showed me the letter" he said flatly, his voice low, barely audible, and she could almost feel the tension and shock emanating from his body.

She turned her head away from him and returned to staring blankly to the front, not knowing what to answer to such statement. For a moment she wondered about his reaction to the news, about how many times had he doubted before deciding to knock on her door and confront her. Taking a breath she returned her eyes to meet his.

His large eyes held a strange mixture of uncertainty, surprise, happiness, sadness, nervousness and love as he looked at her for a long moment, but what called her attention was the strong recognition inside his infinite blue orbs. He offered her a faint smile, he seemed as unsure of how to act as her, making her feel slightly less nervous. He was not only a friend anymore: they were siblings.

Silently he walked to the bed, sitting next to her on the edge of the pale lavender covers, guarding a little distance from her. She turned her head to the front again, as did he, and she guessed the news were as hard to him as they were to her. Both of them had been lied into believing an altered truth. Silence felt better than words, and she understood there was not really much to say, as both knew the truth now. They were siblings by blood, but truly they did not know each other as such.

"I believed you were dead" he said in a soft, honest tone but did not turn to look at her. She did not say a word and he took a deep breath before continuing. "I grew up believing you had died that night. I remember crying when I was told; I was but a small elfling. I missed you. We all missed you."

He chuckled sourly as he turned to look at her and she returned the stare, not knowing what to say. His eyes were gentle, light blue looking at her in a way he never had before, and she felt comfortable in his infinite eyes, welcome.

"I remember waving goodbye as you and my mother…our mother, left with a large party on your way here, to Imladris. Adar had said you would stay there for a while, be educated along with Arwen. I never knew the reasons behind such decision, but never questioned. That was the last time I saw you; until now"

She felt somewhat better hearing all of this; it made everything seem more real. It somehow helped to hear him speaking about her, to be told that she had had a life as Almarëa, and a witness to tell her about it. He offered her another faint smile, and his eyes looked at her for a moment before continuing.

"'I do not expect you to remember anything, you were too young, had only started to say your first words and take your first steps. I do remember you though, I remember having a sister and wanting to be a good older brother. I understand that it all feels different to you, that suddenly you have relatives you do not necessarily remember, and do not hold any bond with. I know I do not completely know you, and you are no longer the little baby I remember, but I would love to be your brother again, if you would let me try."

His eyes looked at her deeply, welcoming her into endless oceans of pale blue. She felt the weight of his words, the sincerity of his soft voice, and saw the little elfling from her dreams, squealing in joy by the stream. Part of her wished she had grown up along with the joyful elfling, that she had conserved her bond with this elf that was her brother by blood, but life never allowed that to happen.

Smiling softly at him, she leaned closer and rested her head lightly on his shoulder, silently accepting his offer. Legolas did not say anything, but he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, rubbing her arm soothingly. He had seemed so familiar to her, and now she understood why. She had never completely forgotten him, and somehow knew that part of him still was the little elfling she remembered, that their bond had not entirely broken.

"I do remember you, although I did not know why. I have seen you in my dreams, as a small elfling. It is always the same scene, by a tiny stream in a dense forest. You looked incredibly familiar when I first met you here. Perhaps part of myself still remembers you as a brother, although it feels like a long forgotten dream. I do not know how to be a sister, as I never truly was one. I grew up as an only child, and without a father, but I would deeply like to be your sister again, although I will need to learn."

"We both will need to learn." He smiled at her now, a true, joyful smile, as his eyes shone with pure content. She smiled back, feeling accepted, relieved to finally know the family in which she belonged, and that she was welcomed.

Suddenly he chuckled and shook his head as he muttered under his breath "And Elladan felt jealous of me"

"Did he really?" She asked, chuckling also as she remembered the elder twin's reaction on the breakfast table when she had first met Legolas.

"Yes" he said between chuckles, the sound as sweet as the one produced by the elfling in her dreams, floating melodically to her ears. "I could not help but stare at you. You also looked very familiar, and more so, you looked exactly like I remember my mother looking. It was driving me insane. He was not very happy about it. I could feel his eyes watching me like a hawk watching its prey for the rest of the day. He would not even let me get close to you."

She laughed lightly, a true cheerful laugh, and he joined in the laughter. She wished she had seen Elladan at that moment. He must feel very relieved now that the truth about her identity was out.

The air felt lighter, as if an iced barrier between her and the blond elven Prince had suddenly lifted. It would take long steps from their part to create a bond between them, but she already felt comfortable and confident in his presence, part of her already accepting him as her long lost brother.

"Will you tell me everything you remember? I would very much like to know about the life I once had" She asked hopefully and he grinned widely at her.

"Of course. I will tell you everything you want to know." She once again felt welcomed in the infinite stare of his blue eyes.

Suddenly, she was no longer in her elegant bedchamber. Her vision turned black and all senses seemed to abandon her for a moment. Vilya whispered loudly, the sound ringing in her ears like shouts as an image started to appear in front of her eyes. She saw the sky, the view as if she were lying on her back, her eyes looking up at the vast expansion of darkening blue as night started to fall after the departed Sun.

The ring screeched again, ringing loudly inside her head and ears, speaking in a strange tongue. Her vision shifted to the left side, and she as able to see the ground next to the darkening sky. The landscape was arid, mainly dark rocks and hard ground. The large, black stones seemed to grow endlessly from the ground, creating some caves every now and then. Creatures moved around the dry landscape, snarling at each other or randomly getting into fights. Orcs.

She felt shivers run down her spine at the sight of the terrifying creatures, horror taking possession of her. Vilya's screeches seemed to intensify in her ears, a high-pitched cry that rang constantly inside her head, making it harder to concentrate on the images.

Her vision now rolled to her right side, and she saw the large rocks extending taller towards the sky, the farther they were the taller they got, until they formed what looked like a peak. A mountain. She was lying on her back, near the top of a mountain.

Suddenly a grotesque face with grey, sick skin appeared in her line of vision from above, the creature standing next to where she was lying. She would have screamed had it not been for the fact that she was not really lying on the ground, but merely witnessing the scene.

"'Es awake!" the creature orc exclaimed in a blood curling snarl, and not even a second after, another disgusting face appeared to look down at her. She heard metal boots running in her direction upon the rocky ground, as more nasty faces started to pop in front of her.

"'Ello" said the first face, the sound making her skin crawl with its twisted tone of sarcastic kindness as the orc's yellow eyes seemed to openly mock her.

Then Vilya cried once more, this time louder than ever and everything turned black, the faces and rocky landscape disappearing from her view. Suddenly, the presence she had felt inside her mind was gone, and her mind was once again only to herself as she returned to her tranquil bedchamber, Legolas still sitting next to her…

Here is the next chapter! I hope it meets all of your expectations!

Again, thank you deeply to Paperlanters86, Sovereignty3, Zee, MinNinniach, booklover1498, Glory Bee, and Hirilnin for your comments on the last chapter. I really appreciate knowing what you think of it.

Love,

Elena


	28. Words Said Out Loud

Elerrina took a sharp intake of breath as her vision returned to normal. Her mind was thinking way too fast for her to get a concrete hold of her thoughts. Lord Elrond's presence was now completely gone from her mind, and yet she could almost still see the nasty faces hovering over her, their disgusting yellow eyes, the large, black rocks that conformed the landscape, which looked even darker as the twilights stretched into night.

She did not know what had happened, what exactly she had just witnessed, but was only sure of one thing: It had not been a vision; it had been real, and the same darkening blue that painted the sky just outside the window of her chamber proved it. She had been into the Elf-Lord's mind, had seen through his very own eyes.

"Elerrina?" Legolas' voice made remember his presence in the room as he grabbed her by the shoulder. She turned to face him immediately and could see the reflection of her own wide, scared eyes inside his now worried blue ones. Out of impulsiveness, Elerrina jumped to her feet, her body felt accelerated, as if she needed to act fast.

"What is it? What is wrong? What happened?" Legolas jumped to his feet after her, his voice also accelerated, speaking fast as his eyes looked at her frantically, alert.

"I…I…the orcs…I saw…It…" She opened her mouth to tell him, but her mind was working faster than she could speak, the words all getting mixed before they left her mouth. His eyes kept looking at her intently, worried as he desperately tried to understand what it was that she was trying to say.

"Lord Elrond!" She finally managed to say, that being the only coherent thought she could muster to get his attention. The name made his eyes widen as if somehow he had understood what she tried to say, or at least the urgency of it.

"He what? What about him?" He had both of his hands on her shoulders now, and for a moment she did not really know which of the two seemed more restless.

"I saw him" She answered quickly, feeling as if the fastest she spoke, the fastest they could do something about it. He seemed to be thinking the same thing for he bombarded her with more questions not even a second after.

"You saw him? What do you mean you saw him? What are you talking about? Do you now where he is?"

"I did not see _him_…I saw…..Where are the twins? And Lord Glorfindel?" She changed the direction of her words, finding that explanations where a waste of time now. She needed to tell the twins and Glorfindel, they would be able to do something.

Legolas did not argue, but instead answered her questions immediately, not asking for explanations. She believed that the urgency in her voice had been enough for him to understand the importance of the matter at hand.

"The twins are in Elrohir's bedroom. I will find Glorfindel and meet you there"

She did not say anything else, did not even wait for him to move before she hurried out of the room. Her feet guided her in long strands among the labyrinth of arched hallways, racing through the very familiar route towards the twin's chambers.

Without bothering to knock, Elerrina quickly opened the fine wooden door that lead directly to the younger twin's bedchamber. She froze at the doorway as two identical figures sitting on the large bed suddenly turned to look at her.

Two equal pairs of silver eyes studied her for a moment, their stares cautious, part surprised and confused for her sudden appearance, and part as if trying to predict her reaction. She had not seen either of the handsome sons of Elrond since her panic attack earlier that day, and judging by the look on their faces they were calculating whether or not she would burst out again.

Her eyes automatically travelled to Elladan, who sat to his twin's left, and felt her insides fill with the peacefulness and wholeness his sole presence gave her. His liquid silver irises were glued to hers, concerned, as he sat still, and she noticed that his right hand gripped his left arm just right below the shoulder, holding it still at his side. He stood up at the sight of her, quickly sensing her restlessness.

"Rina?" He asked in a doubtful voice as he closed the distance between them in long steps, Elrohir watching carefully. She centered her gaze on Elladan's eyes, mentally shaking all of her nervousness and anxiety before she spoke.

"I saw your father" she breathed in almost a whisper, but loud enough for Elrohir to hear her words.

Elladan's eyes widened, as he immediately understood that she had experienced a vision. His deep silver eyes stared into hers intently, urging her to explain, and she heard Elrohir quickly walk to stand by his twin's side but she did not turn to look at him. She did not dare to break her gaze from Elladan's endless eyes, afraid that she might loose her trail of thought if she did.

"I saw Lord Elrond" she repeated, her voice sounding way steadier than she had expected. "Well, I did not really see _him_. I saw what he saw, as if I was looking through his eyes"

"Did you see where he was? Was he injured?" Elladan asked her softly, his eyes communicating the urgency that was absent in his tone.

She heard two other elves enter the room through the open door behind her, and out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Elrohir lift his eyes to meet the unannounced newcomers. She did not need to turn to know that it was Legolas with Glorfindel, and instead swallowed once before answering the elf that was the center of her whole attention.

"I do not know. I did see where he was, that is probably about all I saw: the landscape around him. Although I do not know where it was, I cannot recognize it. There were rocks and very few trees. It looked like a mountain, near to the peak" She wished she could have answered that the Elf-Lord was unharmed, but she did not know it. She had only seen what Elrond had wanted her to see.

"Your Adar cannot be badly injured if he was able to pull her into his mind." She heard the powerful voice of the golden haired warrior reassuring the distressed sons of his Lord.

Elerrina did not know how much of what she had said, Glorfindel had heard, but the Balrog Slayer had already been informed of her latest vision. Elladan did not take his eyes from hers as he silently nodded to the golden haired warrior's words, and she let herself drown in the pools of liquid silver she loved so dearly.

"A mountain and rocks?" out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elrohir addressing the golden haired warrior, his eyes questioning with a glint that implied he had an idea of where the Elf-Lord was.

"Do you know the place?" She asked, her eyes moving to Elrohir for the first time.

"It is possible." Answered Glorfindel, and she turned her head to face the glorious golden haired elf. "Elerrina, can you draw what you saw?" Glorfindel's deep blue eyes looked at her intently as she nodded her head, not able to form any words.

Elrohir quickly moved around the room, grabbing a piece of parchment from one of the drawers in the small desk, a quill and ink, and placing the items on top of the desk's polished surface. She rapidly walked towards the desk, Elladan and the others moving along with her, and took the quill in her right hand.

She let her hand guide the quill across the parchment in quick strokes, accurately tracing the lines of the image that was still fresh inside her mind. She could feel the eyes of the other elves in the room attentively observing the paper, Elladan from over her right shoulder, Glorfindel her left and Elrohir and Legolas from the sides of the desk.

"What is it? Is that a rock? Is that a tree? What is sky and what is ground?" Elrohir asked before she could complete any figure, pointing at places in the paper in which her hand had not even started to draw.

"Elrohir! Let her finish!" She heard Glorfindel exclaim but did not turn to look as she concentrated on quickly sketching the image that floated inside her mind. She was surprised of how much she remembered. The younger twin did not reply, but remained quiet as he watched her continue to trace lines across the blank paper.

When the drawing became understandable, Elrohir suddenly snatched the paper from her, turning it with his fingers over the desk so that it faced him, silver eyes attentively dancing over her drawn lines. Elerrina sighed as the quill left a long line on her drawing from where Elrohir had, without warning, moved the parchment from her, but did not say anything as she placed the quill down and observed the younger twin.

Elrohir lifted his eyes to meet Elladan's, and she watched them exchange a look in silence before the younger twin's eyes dater to Glorfindel. The Balrog Slayer's eyes had been focused on the parchment, but after a second, his soft blue eyes turned up to meet Elrohir as he silently nodded to the younger twin's questioning stare. The exchange of words had been silent, but she needed no words to understand that Glorfindel and the twins knew the place that was now neatly drawn over the piece of paper.

"How soon can we depart?" Asked Elladan as his silver eyes turned to question the golden haired warrior.

She felt her chest tighten and her heart sank to the ground, but she did not show it, as she remained frozen looking at the exchange among the three elves. She did not want to think that the twins would leave to go after their father. She knew this would be the case, Elladan had told her that they would go once they had found where to go. And now they had. She did not want Elladan to go, and she knew she was being selfish, but she just did not want to be far from him.

"Two hours at least. We can gain some distance if we travel a couple of hours into the night before we need to stop for rest. I will need to gather the patrols and every elf who wishes to come." Answered Glorfindel and her heart constricted as the golden haired elf set a time for departure.

"Elrohir, go find Erestor and inform him of everything. He is to run the valley in our absence." Continued the Balrog Slayer as he turned on his heels and started to make his way to the door.

"And I suggest the four of you eat some dinner and rest for some minutes. You will need it. I want to see you ready in two hours, you too, Elerrina. You are also coming with us." She looked up, surprised at the mention of her name, only to find the other three pairs of eyes having the same reaction as her.

"She is not coming" Snapped Elladan, his silver eyes fiercely glaring at the golden haired warrior, like cold steel daggers.

"Yes, she is." Replied Glorfindel in a calmed voice, completely unaffected by the elder twin's sudden hostility. "She is our map, and our only way to know if the orcs move. She has to come. I would not take her if it were not absolutely necessary."

Without waiting for an answer, Glorfindel exited the piece, Elrohir following closely behind in search of Lord's Elrond's advisor. Elerrina did not know what to say, what to think. She remained still, staring at the open door through which the two elves had just disappeared, not wanting to meet Elladan's gaze.

She heard Legolas sigh and turned to meet his infinite blue eyes as he offered her a small, reassuring smile. Then, without a word, he also exited the room, leaving her alone with Elladan inside his twin's elegant bedchamber.

For the first time in the evening, Elerrina let her eyes explore the room around her. She had never before been inside Elrohir's bedchamber, and smiled on the inside at the very familiar arrangement of the room. The chamber was decorated in pale gold, exactly the same as Elladan's chamber, with matching furniture arranged in the same way. The rooms were mirror images, what was placed at the right in Elladan's room, was at the left in Elrohir's.

She felt Elladan wrap his good arm around her waist and she turned around to face him, green eyes searching for his endless, sparkling silver ones. She knew he was not happy about her joining them in the rescue party, but he did not argue against Glorfindel's clear reasoning. Instead, he let go of her waist and placed his fingers over the parchment on the desk and rotated it until it was facing him, his eyes throwing another glance at her sketch.

"You are _not_ allowed to look through my drawings _ever again_." He said throwing her his famous mischievous smile as he suddenly lifted the heavy, solemn aura the room had acquired. Elerrina knew that he was trying to cheer her up as much as he was trying to do so to himself.

She laughed out loud at his words as she remembered the very clumsy lines of his drawings. Her drawing, on the other hand, was very accurate. She could draw, it was one of the things she had enjoyed doing while growing up, but Elladan was a different story.

She saw his smile grow into a wide grin at the sound of her laughter and he leant down and pressed his lips to hers, silencing her with a kiss. She felt all of her burdens, her fears, her insecurities be suddenly lifted from her body and everything fell into place as she kissed him in return. After they parted, he pressed his forehead to hers, his silver eyes swallowing her in his piercing stare that made her heart race.

"Let us get out of here for a while. Take a walk with me" He whispered softly as he entwined his fingers with hers. She could have never denied his request, say no to his sweet, musical voice, and she simply smiled in return, silently accepting his proposal. She herself wanted to get away for a moment, to forget the visions, the letters, the capture, and she knew that he also needed a distraction from his worried mind.

She let the son of Elrond lead her out of the room and through the house, silently pacing through long corridors and stairwells until they exited the brightly lighted house and started marching towards the peaceful moonlit gardens. She relaxed in the fresh air, in the reassuring purity of the smell of green grass and blooming flowers, which glowed palely under the light of the stars.

"How are you? Did you speak with Legolas about it?" He asked in a low voice as they slowly paced through the peaceful gardens, away from the crowded, bright house. She knew exactly what he was referring to, and let her gaze travel to the ground for a moment, not sure of what to answer.

"It is fine. We do not have to speak about it if you do not want to" He added at her lack of response. She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. She would answer him; she knew he was concerned of how she had taken the news.

"I am sorry I yelled at you." She said, but he waved off her apologies with a hand and she continued. "I will be fine. I guess it only feels strange now. I did speak with Legolas, and turns out he does remember me." She paused to look into his eyes as he listened to her, her feet walking instinctively now, going wherever he led her.

The distant lights of the house had fallen behind, and Elerrina smiled in content as she caught sight of the beautiful gazebo placed next to the delicate, arched bridge. He had been leading her to their garden, where he had first kissed her, where she had discovered what he rally meant to her.

"I did not know you had been so jealous of him." She added, throwing him a teasing smile, deeply enjoying the look on his face as both of his dark eyebrows shot up to the sky.

He sat on the bench under the gorgeous gazebo, the pale moonlight falling lightly over his dark hair, making his silver eyes sparkle like stars at the dim light. She sat next to him, closer than she had the previous night they had been in this same garden.

"Who says I was jealous?" he argued as he narrowed his eyes, leaning in closer to her, his face only inches away, but she did not step back, nor did she break his piercing, playful stare.

"Oh, so then you simply did not like Legolas near me because….?" She pressed, leaning even closer. She knew his games and she would not loose this one. He was tempting her, but she would not be the one to fall first.

"And I suppose that you were not jealous of the ladies who were staring at me at the feast?" He shortened the distance even more, it that was possible, his warm breath falling on her face. Her victorious smile fell instantly at his words as she remembered the gossiping ladies who simply could not keep their eyes from the handsome son of Elrond.

"I was not" She said a little too fast, knowing that her tone had indicated the contrary of her words. He grinned widely in victory, his eyes sparkling with carefreeness and mischievousness.

"Well, in that case, I will save a dance for them on the next feast now that I know you do not have a problem with that." He whispered in barely audible voice, his lips brushing hers slightly, not giving in in a kiss. He had won, and he knew it. She could no longer use the blond Prince against him, for Legolas was now her brother.

"You will do no such thing" she whispered back, aware that she had lost. She could not hold it any longer and closed the gap between them, pressing her lips to his as he reached his hand to the side of her face.

"And so much time wasted on pointing out just how much you hated me" he teased her after the kiss had ended.

Elerrina chuckled at his words. She loved him, every single aspect of him. His pale skin framed by long, dark hair; his silver eyes that sparkled with mischievousness and carefreeness, mocking the world around him, and at the same time could burn with a strength and power she had thought impossible; his playful grin and his sweet concerned tone.

"I could have never imagined that after how much I hated you, I would be sitting here this night thinking only of how much I lo…" She stopped as she realized the words that were coming out of her mouth. She felt so comfortable around him that she would say anything that was on her mind, without any kind of filter. The truth simple slipped out when she was in his presence.

"How much I like you" she corrected herself, she was not going to tell him her real feelings yet. However, her sudden change of words had not passed unnoticed by him and she saw him grin broadly as his eyes sparkled with a glint of delight.

"What were you going to say?" He asked in a low voice, his eyes piercing hers, sparkling. She felt her heart race as he pressed her, but she would not say it, not yet.

"How much I like you. I said it" she answered. She did not know why, but the real words scared her. It scared to admit her feelings to him. However, his grin only grew wider, making her suddenly feel her anger start to rise at his delighted face. He knew exactly how she felt; she had slipped.

"No, you were not going to say that" he pressed her. She could feel his silver eyes burning into hers with fiery passion, pushing her into saying those words out loud. She felt her heart race, out of nervousness or pressure, she did not know, but his insistence on hearing her admit her feelings made her anger rise even more.

"I was going to say that" she snapped, her eyes glaring into his, but his smirk did not faltered.

"No. Say it, Rina. Say what you were really going to say" he pressed, moving closer to her. Her heart raced faster, and she felt her anger boil inside her veins. He knew he could make her rage, make her react at his will and that sole thought angered her more.

"I said it. I like you. I said it." She said as she jumped to her feet, her eyes throwing cold daggers into his sparkling, playful ones. He stoop up in front of her, rising taller than her, and took a step closer to her, wrapping his good arm around her waist and resting in on her low back, pulling her close to him.

"That was not it. You said how much I llllllo….a "v" comes next, perhaps" he whispered in her ear, stretching his "l"s as he spoke. His eyes burned on hers, his grin reflected in his silver irises. She was breathing heavily, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest as shivers ran down her spine.

"I was _not_ going to say anything" she snapped sharply as she leant back away from him, her anger exploding inside of her. He had complete control of her emotions.

"Yes you were. Say it" He leaned closer again; pressing her to say the three words he wanted to hear. Finally she could no longer hold her anger; why was he pressing her like that? He already knew what she had been about to say!

"Fine! I love you! I was going to say how much I love you! Are you happy now?!" she yelled as she threw her hands in the air, tired of his insistence, her eyes glaring into his.

To her surprise he closed the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers in a passionate, fiery kiss, knocking her mind out of every thought. After realizing what as happening she kissed him back, deepening the kiss as his arm around her waist pressed her closer to his body, her own hand reaching up to his neck and tangling in his dark strands of hair.

Nothing mattered now. Her previous anger seemed pointless now, and the fear she had felt completely vanished as she lost herself in the deep kiss. She had said it. The words had finally left her mouth, and she did not want to take them back ever.

He broke the kiss after a long moment, letting her breathe once again as his eyes stared deeply into hers, passionate, burning with unspoken emotions. She was speechless, stunned as he leaned in once more, his lips brushing slightly over her left ear as he whispered slowly, in a loving, barely audible voice:

"I love you too"

Here is the next chapter! I apologize for making you all wait a little longer this time, but this week has been incredibly intense for me. Anyways I hope you like this new chapter! Please let me know what you think!

Love,

Elena


	29. The Departure

The house seemed to be in a rush as Elerrina absently made her way through the elegant corridors. Elves ran past her every couple of minutes, armed with swords and bows, their long cloaks swirling behind them as they all ran down the corridors and headed out to the main courtyard. She could hear the elves gathering outside the large windows as she made her way up the stairwell, could hear some of them giving orders, horses moving around, but did not turn to look.

She felt absent, detached, as she moved in the opposite direction of the other elves. They would depart in less than half an hour, but it did not feel real to her. Her mind felt as if it had bitterly been awakened from a beautiful dream and refused to accept the reality in which it was now forced to function.

Elladan had escorted her back to her chamber some minutes ago, as he went to change and get ready, but she simply could not stay there. Her nerves had been driving her insane inside the confined space of the empty room. Even Vilya seemed impatient as it glowed dully and whispered incessantly.

She rounded a corner and found the beautiful wooden door that was her destination. It was cracked open, leaving the handsome blond elf occupying the room visible from the exterior. For a moment she questioned her decision to go there, she could not even think of a reason as to why her feet had directed her where she was, and yet she wanted to be there.

Elerrina pushed the door softly with a hand, opening it wider, as her other hand knocked lightly on the wooden frame, informing the occupier of her presence. Legolas turned to look at her, his eyes soft and kind as they found hers. He offered her a smile that reached his infinite blue eyes as he walked to where she stood.

"Are you ready?" he asked her now standing right in front of her.

She did not move, and only smiled back, a faint half-hearted smile. She did not know why she had come seeking him, and now found that she really had nothing to say to him. She had only needed his presence, but now she could not realize why.

She did not know what to answer him. She was not ready. How could she be? She did not even know what to expect. He seemed to understand her hesitation, for he did not press her for an answer but waited patiently for her to speak, or simply stand there silently, whichever she chose.

Part of her knew that she had come looking for him because he was her brother, and she felt that he was the person she was supposed to go when she needed comfort.

And yet, part of her felt that she really had nothing to say to the elf standing in front of her, she did not really know him and they did not share the bond siblings shared.

"No" she whispered softly. He simply nodded his head as he continued to look at her, his eyes kind and comprehensive. For a moment she simply looked at him, painfully aware that it was easier for him to see her as a sister than for her to see him as a brother. Her remembered things she did not.

Legolas looked different now, dressed in travel clothes and not in his usual elegantly embroidered tunics. A long, dark green cloak hung around his shoulders and back and his long, light blond hair had been braided back from his face in the manner of elven warriors. She could see twin daggers strapped at his waist as well as fine bow hanging across his back next to a quiver filled with arrows.

"I am scared" she admitted openly in another whisper. Legolas placed a hand on her shoulder as he offered her another one of his perfect smiles.

"I know" he said in a soft voice as he welcomed her into his infinite sky blue eyes. She remained still, not really having anything else to say. He kept looking at her, rubbing her arm soothingly in silence. Long moments passed but neither of them said a word.

"I.."she started, hesitating while she spoke "I do not really have a reason as to why I came" Her eyes sought his only to find his infinite orbs filled with comprehension and sympathy.

"Sometimes you do not really need a reason" She smiled at his words, already feeling better.

"Thank you" Was her simple answer.

Suddenly he looked around her and outside the door and she turned to see if there was someone there, but found no one. When she turned to face him, she found him smiling broadly as his eyes looked at her suspiciously.

"Why do I get you all to myself? Where did you leave Elladan?" She chuckled in return. The simple mention of the elder twin's name made her heart accelerate as her mind traveled back to that special moment in the gardens.

"Where did _I_ leave _him_? I would say he was the one who left me to go change. He is probably with Elrohir now." He smiled broadly at her and she felt once again comfortable around him, finally understating why she had come to him in the first place. True, she did not have anything to say to him in specific, but she had simply wanted his presence.

"We should head down" he said softly, announcing the reality she had been trying to repress.

"You go ahead, I want to find Elladan first"

She did not really know why she said that, but was only trying to delay going down to meet the rest of the elves who seemed ready to depart. Legolas looked at her for a moment, his eyes completely understanding the real reason masked in her words. However, he simple nodded his head lightly as he turned around and left the room.

Elerrina stood in the doorway for a couple of seconds, her eyes staring at the now empty hallway through which her brother had disappeared. Finally she commanded her feet to move out of the room and in the direction of the twins' bedchambers. She could not think of anywhere else to go in the hectic house.

She felt her heart floating inside her chest as she made her way through the house. Her mind filled with anticipation as she visualized Elladan's liquid silver eyes staring at her, his long raven hair hanging over his shoulders and back, the mischievous glint in his smirk. She would not tell him that she was scared, as she had so easily told Legolas; she could not tell him.

She reached the very familiar door that led to his large bedchamber and knocked softly, but received no answer. She knocked again, this time a little harder. No answer. Finally, she opened the door and looked inside the room only to find it empty.

Not wanting to believe the twins were already in the courtyard, Elerrina walked towards the door that connected to Elrohir's bedchamber. She knocked on the door, and opened it wide after receiving no answer. The younger twin's bedchamber was also empty.

Her heart sunk inside her chest as she realized that she too needed to head down. Reluctantly, she made her way down the long corridors once again. The tall, delicate columns supporting the pointed arches seemed to stretch taller, making her feel incredibly small and weak; the corridors seemed to expand, and it felt that with every step she took, the end stretched a step farther from her, becoming and endless tunnel.

Voices reached her ears just as she walked by the large pair of doors that lead to Lord Elrond's study. She stopped, frozen as she recognized the familiar musical voice of the golden haired Balrog Slayer speaking in a tone that indicated that a heated argument was currently taking place on the other side of the doors.

Glorfindel's voice sounded stern, raised a little higher than usual, but she could not understand a single word he said. He was speaking elvish. She had heard it spoken before but could not make out a single word.

Shaking her head lightly she moved to continue her march when a second voice interrupted Lord Elrond's Seneschal. Elerrina froze and held her breath as she turned her attention back to the large doors: It was Elladan who had spoken. His calmed, melodic voice sounded angry now, raised as much as Glorfindel's as he also spoke in his native tongue, the words sounding beautiful, but the tone was unfriendly. It surprised her to realize that she had only heard the elder twin speak in his tongue once or twice before. He spoke the common tongue in her presence, so that she could understand what was being said.

She knew she should not eavesdrop on a conversation, but could not get herself to move. Glorfindel said something again, his voice now raised a little higher and Elladan answered back not a second after, sounding harsh and cold.

"Dan" She heard Elrohir's voice say to his twin in a warning tone only to receive another cold statement from Glorfindel that made the younger twin fall silent again.

Elladan said something else, this time his voice low and cold, trembling with ire. She did not understand the words, but the tone alone said enough.

"Elladan" the younger twin warned again, but was completely ignored by the other two elves.

Glorfindel answered the elder twin with another comment, his voice also lower now, but not even sounding half as angered as Elladan's. It sounded stern, commanding, as if indicating that his point held no space for further argument.

"You have no right!" She heard Elladan mutter behind clenched teeth as he suddenly switched to the common tongue. "You have no right to tell her to come. She owes no loyalty to Imladris. It is not our place to force her to come."

Her heart skipped a beat, as she understood that she was the subject of the argument. She felt a conflict growing inside of her; she did not know if she should feel grateful that Elladan seemed so focused on keeping her out of danger, or hurt that he so strongly did not want her to go with him.

"You are right" came Glorfindel's calmed, yet cold voice. "And yet you know that we need her"

She heard Elladan argue back in elvish, followed by Glorfindel's voice, Elrohir completely left out of the conversation, either by force or choice, she did not know. Finally the argument switched back to the common tongue as Glorfindel's cold, commanding voice reached her ears, carrying a power that no elf would ever dare to defy.

"Then ask her, Elladan" the words were followed by a prolonged silence, until the Balrog Slayer's voice echoed again inside the room. "It is her choice and not mine, you have said so yourself. Then, ask her. Although you already know her answer, do you not?"

A long moment of silence passed and Elerrina almost believed the argument was over. However, Elladan's voice reached her ears again, this time low and bitter, trembling with iced rage as the words left his mouth like cold daggers aimed at the golden haired warrior.

"How could she say no? How _could _she after you have made her believe Adar's life depends on her? You say that you will give her a choice, but will you really? You should have asked her before throwing in that we needed her. That does not give her much choice, does it?"

She heard steps coming towards the exit and seconds later the door was being forcefully pushed open as Elladan left the room. She remained frozen, a few feet away from him as his silver eyes caught her, feeling the tension emanating from his body. He too froze as the door closed behind him, his eyes staring deeply into her, his lips pressed in a thin line. Suddenly she felt she should not have been there; he knew she had heard, even if she had not understood more than half of the argument.

However, whatever it was she had expected him to say would have been better than what happened next. Elladan's eyes broke away from hers after a short moment, as his silver orbs turned to the front and he walked past her, not looking back even once.

Elerrina watched him as he strode away from her view, his determined steps leading him through a long corridor until he disappeared around a corner. She stood there, in the empty space between the now dead argument and the ghost of where she had last seen Elladan. She could feel his tension, feel his anger and interior conflict as she realized that he was being torn in between her and his father. Endangering her would guarantee his father's rescue and, at the same time, keeping her safe compromised it.

Slowly, she continued her march towards the main courtyard, not wanting to be at the sight of the other two elves when they left the study. Her feet were walking on their own as she found her mind now completely detached from reality.

She was scared, every elf was armed, was trained and knew how to fight, but she, she could not even hold a sword. On the other hand, the argument had seemed to give her a new determination to go, a new strength, and that alone was what kept her feet walking one in front of the other.

The courtyard was already packed with elves, some of them mounted on their horses, some even already aligned in place. So many elves. She could see some elves standing, holding the reins of two or three horses as their owners came to claim them.

She had not trouble in spotting Legolas, standing only a couple of feet away from her, holding the reins of a beautiful white horse. His eyes met hers and she offered him a soft smile as she made her way to where he stood.

"May I?" she asked as she extended a hand towards the white horse. Legolas smiled widely at her as his eyes sparkled with their natural glow.

"Of course" he said as he pulled at the reins for the majestic horse to take a couple of steps forward, closer to her. Granting her brother another smile, she stretched her hand and softly touched the horse's head, her palm caressing the beautiful animal that fascinated her. The horse remained calm, allowing her to softly pet him.

"Do you ride?" She heard Legolas ask her, but she did not turn her eyes from the beautiful animal in front of her.

"No" She finally let her hands separate from the animal as she once again focused her attention on the elven Prince standing in front of her.

"You have one of your own, you know?" He said smiling as he motioned to the horse. Her eyebrows rose in surprise as she looked at him with a disbelieving expression.

"A horse?" she asked, even thought she already knew the answer. He laughed lightly as he nodded his head.

"Yes, at the stables back home. No one has ever mounted it; it has always belong to you, to Almarëa."

She kept staring at him with wide eyes. A horse. She had her own horse, and she did not even know how to ride one. Somehow, hearing this made it easier to believe the news of her true inheritance, to believe that Almarëa was real, that Almarëa was her, and that she really had a home and a family.

"So, tell me" she said with a raised eyebrow as she smiled playfully at him "What else do I have?"

He chuckled at her words as he shook his head, but did not get a chance to answer as Glorfindel finally appeared in the main courtyard. The golden haired warrior walked past the elves in long strands as he made his way to a white horse that had been readied for him, and, in a single, graceful movement, jump onto its back.

She turned around to find that Elladan and Elrohir had also appeared on the courtyard, both dressed in their traveling clothes and their respective blue and green cloaks. A dark haired elf came to them holding the reins of their horses, as he handed each animal to his owner.

Elladan's silver eyes found hers easily and she quickly walked in his direction, forgetting about all the other elves in the large courtyard. She could feel he was calmer now, his previous anger had considerably diminished as his eyes deeply stared at her, holding a strange combination of love, pain and worry.

His eyes never left her as she reached his side, and from the corner of her eyes, she could see Elrohir gracefully mount on his horse and head forward, towards the front of the line where Glorfindel awaited. But none of the other elves seemed to matter now, as she had only eyes for Lord Elrond's firstborn. She loved him, and he loved her. That was all that mattered to her.

"Here. It is Arwen's, but I believe it will fit you" he said softly, as he gently placed a cloak he had been holding over her, the fine velvet feeling warm and soft as it hung on her back and shoulders. It was a rich green color, elegantly embroidered in delicate gold patterns, and it fitted her perfectly, almost as if it had been made for her.

She remained silent as she watched his hands secure the cloak with a gorgeous pin at her front. For a moment, her eyes were lost in the beautiful silver jewel, adorned with many tiny sapphires and emeralds that undulated from its center. She looked up at his eyes as his right hand gently traveled to her cheek.

"Elerrina" he said in a soft voice as his liquid silver eyes pleaded her silently. "You do not have to come if you do not want to"

She could not say anything, but simply chose to stare at him, the pained and worried look in his eyes told her that he already knew the answer to his unspoken plea. Instead, she placed her hand over his on her cheek as she leaned into his touch, offering him a sad smile.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to her forehead before gracefully jumping onto the back of his horse, his light blue cloak swirling around him. Smiling only half-heartedly he offered her his right hand and pulled her up behind him. She had always ridden in front of him, but she understood that he had better control of the horse if he was at the front. Silently, she wrapped her arms around his torso as they moved to the front, painfully noticing how he was careful not to move his left arm much, the wound on his shoulder still far from healed.

All the other elves had formed into neat lines, and she could easily spot Legolas close to the front, as Glorfindel yelled instructions in elvish. Elerrina held tightly to Elladan, as she concentrated on his long dark strands of hair falling over the very familiar light blue cloak; on the long sword strapped at his waist and the bow and arrows on his back; on his tall, regal posture of the warrior she knew he was.

"What is he saying?" she asked him quietly as she referred to Glorfindel.

"He is going over the protocols" He told her as he half turned his head to look at her.

"Would you teach me?" He turned his face again as his eyes looked at her, puzzled. "How to speak elvish, I mean. Would you teach me?" she explained and he laughed lightly at her for a moment.

"It is called Sindarin." He corrected as he offered her one of his true smiles. "And yes, I will teach you, if you would like"

She only got to smile in return, for Glorfindel suddenly gave the order to depart and the horses started moving fast. She secured her hold on Elladan as they moved, running fast at the head of the party, next to Elrohir and Glorfindel. She felt fear take hold of her again, her insecurities all seemed to return as they ran out of the safety of the valley, the golden lights of the house growing fainter in the distance as they entered into the dark forest ahead.

Vilya kept whispering loudly, ringing in her ears as she felt its urgency, its need to return to its master. Suddenly she felt her mind being pulled from her body again, as she disappeared from reality, her vision becoming black.

She was once again lying on the ground, facing the dark night sky and could see two nasty creatures with yellow eyes hovering over her. Her head rolled to one side and she was able to see the familiar rocky landscape surrounding her. They had not moved.

"I will be gentle one las' time" snarled one of the orcs, the sound making her skin crawl. "Where. Is. It?"

The second orc snarled fiercely at the lack of answer and two more of the nasty creatures came into her view, their sick, yellow eyes looking at her hungrily.

"What if 'e does not 'ave it?" said another creature, this one standing to her left side.

"'e 'as it!" snarled the first orc as he fiercely turned from one creature to another. "'e knows where it is, don't you Elf-Lord?" A twisted smile appeared on the foul face, as the title was pronounced in clear mockery and disrespect. Again, there was no answer.

"We are tired of your silence!" the creature grunted, followed by the sickening sound of a boot hitting flesh. She would have screamed, would have reached her hands to her mouth had it not been for the fact the she was not really present.

"The rings react to fire!" snarled the creature as it looked at the other three orcs that framed her vision. "Burn 'is 'ands"

"No!" She heard another orc growl as the nasty face f a larger orc appeared on her view, the creature grabbing the first orc by the neck with enough force to rip his head off. She saw the yellow eyes of the victim grow wide as it struggled against the hold of what seemed to be the leader.

"There will be no burning! Nobody touches the elf! Those were _'is_ orders!" The leader released the struggling orc, and the scared creature quickly disappeared from her sight, gasping for air. The other three nasty faces had remained frozen, their sick eyes looking intently at the larger orc.

"Now Elf-Lord, if you will not cooperate I will 'ave to put you in another nap" The creature smiled maliciously, the twisted expression on its face made shivers ran down her spine. Her vision suddenly turned once again black, Vilya releasing a loud, high-pitched cry in her ears as the Elf-Lord's presence was suddenly cut off from her mind, unconscious again.

Another chapter complete! I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think of it!

And also, thank you to all of you who have been reading the story and to all of those who have reviewed my latest chapter: MinNinniach, maryamtkham, Sovereignty3 and booklover1498.

And also to all of you who reviewed chapter 27: She Elf Of Hidden Lore, Sovereignty3, MinNinniach, Paperlanterns86, Glory Bee, Wtiger5, booklover1498, and my guest reviewer.

I really appreciate all of your comments, they mean a lot!

Love,

Elena


	30. Haunted Hours

The chilled wind of the night ran fast past her, hitting her face and whistling on her ears, as she held tight to Elladan's body. They had been running for several hours now, the legs of the horses drummed loudly against the ground, which almost seemed to shake from the force. The dark shaped of leaves and branches flew past her eyes, but she was not looking, her open eyes stared at nothing.

She had not mentioned the last vision that had consumed her mind. The orcs had not moved, and thus she did not consider it necessary to alarm anyone. The images of the nasty faces and their sickly yellow eyes still burned fresh before her eyes, the twisted voice ordering to burn the Elf-Lord's hands still echoing inside her head.

Elladan had not seemed to notice her vision, as he remained focused on the front, never turning his head back. He was distant, his mind obscured in thoughts of his own and she could feel his strong determination feeding on some sort of reawakened hatred inside of him. Elerrina tightened her hold on him, just to simply remind him of her presence, to unsuccessfully pull him back from his dark thoughts. She could see Elrohir riding close to their right; his focused silver eyes cold and distant like iced steel, as he leant forward on the back of his horse.

Suddenly Glorfindel gave indications to stop for some hours of rest and she was pulled out of her trance a she felt the galloping of the horse underneath her cease. Elladan jumped to the ground in a graceful, swift movement, and she could see the other elves around them following his example. He turned to face her and gently helped her dismount, offering her a small comforting smile.

Once her feet touched the ground he pressed a quick kiss to her temple as his hand reached for hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. His face perfectly masked all of his emotions, but she could feel them swirling inside of him.

"How are you doing?" he asked softly as she stared into the depths of his liquid silver eyes.

"I am fine" She reassured him with the faintest of smiles "How are _you_?"

Elladan turned his eyes away from her as he looked to the side, his lack of answer indicating her that he had no intention of lying to her, but at the same time, did not want to tell the truth. She reached her palm softly to his cheek and gently turned his face to look back at her. Profound silver eyes turned in her direction again, filled with anxiety and sorrow. His eyes alone answered the question that his voice would not.

"What can I do?" She asked in a whisper, already feeling her heart shatter at the heavy burden he carried in his troubled eyes "What can I do to ease what troubles you?"

He did not answer, but only offered her a sad smile in a failed attempt to reassure her as he leant closer and placed his lips to her forehead. He rested his head over hers for a moment, and she felt his hand rubbing her arm soothingly.

"You can always remind me of how much you _like_ me" He said in a lighter tone as he pulled away to look at her. His eyes now held a faint glint of their usual glow and Elerrina knew that he was making an effort to distract her form his dark thoughts.

His words awarded a wide smile from her part as her mind suddenly traveled back to the enchanted moment they had shared in the gardens some hours ago. She let herself fall freely into his endless silver eyes, which shone with love-sparkled mischief as they teased her, clearly communicating the hidden meaning behind the word _like_.

"Are you mocking me, my Lord?" Elerrina opened her mouth in fake hurt as she pressed her hand to her chest. "Now that is not very polite, especially when addressing a Princess"

Elladan grinned at her as his eyes sparkled with light, they heavy, haunted aura around them momentarily forgotten.

"My apologies, my Lady, I would _never_ even think of mocking you," He said using his formal lordly manner, and yet his eyes mirrored the mischief in his wide grin.

She playfully slapped him in the arm and he let out a soft laugh that floated in the air like wind chimes in the hopeless night. However, the blissful moment did not last long as the heavy atmosphere clung once again to his shoulders and his grin was diminished to a simple smile.

"Come, you should try to get some sleep" He added as he motioned for her to follow him to where the elves had already fashioned a camping place.

A large fire had been made in the center of the camp, and elves lay down around them, in any place they found comfortable enough. Some of them sat in groups of three or four, quietly sharing stories or simply staring at the roaring flames in silence; others were already wrapped in the arms of sleep, as their glazed eyes stared at the dark blue sky.

They joined Legolas and Elrohir, who were silently sitting on a spot a little bit separated from the bunch of other elves. The blond Prince lifted his gaze as they approached, his lips curving in a faint smile, but the younger twin did not move, his eyes lost in the cracking fire, his mind distant in thoughts of his own.

Elladan lowered himself to the ground, next to is twin, whose silver eyes snapped up to meet and equal pair, exchanging one of their looks that seemed to speak with muted words. Allowing the twins a moment of their own, Elerrina silently sat next to Legolas, already feeling sleep start to take a hold of her.

Her brother did not start a conversation as his gentle blue eyes followed her every move. She did not want to talk and he did not seem to be in the mood for a chat either. Elerrina could hear the twins whispering lowly in elvish as she lay down on her side, closing her green eyes to hide herself in the dark comfort of her eyelids.

The ground was cold and hard, but it did not bother her. She rested her head on her hands, using them as a make-shift pillow as she let her mind slowly drift away to the soft lullaby of the twin's low whispers, melting into the cool night air along with the sad song of the swaying trees…

Elerrina blinked twice as her mind abruptly returned from the real of dreamless sleep. Everything was quiet, and the only sound that reached her ears was the dull cracking of the dying fire, as its faint flames struggled for survival. Legolas laid asleep to her right, his glazed eyes staring at the stars above, lost inside his own mind.

Somehow she felt more comfortable than she had before falling asleep, and it took her moment to realize that her head was lying on something soft, and no longer on her hands, or the cold, hard ground. Slowly she sat up and a smile grew on her face as her eyes found a neatly folded light blue cloak in the spot where her head had been. Her eyes darted to her right, looking past Legolas in search of the owner of the cloak, but Elladan was no longer in sight; and neither was Elrohir.

The sound of light steps far to her left made her turn her head, looking over the disordered bunch of sleeping elves. She could make out the silhouette of a dark-haired figure slowly disappearing in the darkness, walking away from the crowded camp and into the forest.

"Elladan?" She called in faint whisper, far too low for his ears to hear it in the distance, but she did not want to wake the other elves. The elder twin did not turn as he vanished deeper among the sleeping trees, away from her sight.

Silently, she rose to her feet, meaning to follow him as she tip-toed her way between the sleeping forms, careful not to step on anyone. As she reached the spot in which Elladan's graceful figure had disappeared, a hand suddenly grabbed her by the arm, abruptly stopping her. She jumped in surprise and let out a gasp as her eyes turned to face a pair of soft blue eyes.

"Let them be. Dark memories plague their minds" said Glorfindel gravely as his eyes stared deeply into hers, stressing his words. Them; so Elrohir had also wondered away in the forest. Silently she nodded her head and the golden haired warrior released his strong hold on her arm. Without another word, he turned around and walked away, leaving her staring at the spot in which Elladan had faded into darkness.

She turned her gaze back to the camp when she heard more steps approaching her. Legolas had awakened and was now making his way to where she stood, his eyes also staring out into the forest.

"They left, did they not?" He said softly as he reached his side.

"Yes" She breathed as her eyes turned to face his brother. It was not the first time that she saw Elladan wonder away at night, and both times he had not wanted to be followed.

"They will be back before we set off again" He said reassuringly, and by the look in his eyes, she understood that the situation was not new to him.

"What troubles them? I know this is not only about Lord Elrond" she whispered to him as her eyes searched in his for an honest answer. She had taken the Elf-Lord's capture as the cause for the twin's sudden coldness and grief, but now she understood that their dark feelings had been there all along.

"No, it is not. This has merely resurrected haunting images from a past not too long ago." Legolas' voice was low and she could hear it faintly stained with pain. He took a deep breath as his eyes lifted to stare into the darkness ahead.

"I was in Imladris by the time Lady Celebrian was captured. I was there when the twins returned with her torn body in their arms, and she did not even know that it was her sons who had rescued her. It was a full year before she sailed, and not once in those twelve months, did she allow her sons to touch her. At times she did not even recognize them. They resent the orcs for it, and for years after she sailed they would hunt and kill every single one they found. You saw the look on Elrohir's eyes while we rode, did you not? They looked like that for long years, guided by poisoned hatred."

Elerrina felt her throat tighten as the unimagined, brutal truth was explained to her. She had know bits and pieces of the story, but now realized that she had only heard a sugar coated mask. She had known the Lady Celebrian had sailed, and had known that the loss had affected her sons, but she had never been told about the capture.

She did not know what had made Legolas tell her the complete story, but was grateful to finally understand. She knew the twins never mentioned their mother, and if they did, they did it distantly, not really going into detail as to not allow memories to come back.

"Elladan never mentioned…He never said…" She did not know what to say, and yet she already knew that Elladan did not hide the truth from her to shield her, but because he did not want to remember it.

"They do not speak about it. Their wounds run deeper than they allow to see, and they have not yet healed. I do not think any in the family will ever be the same again. Arwen now spends most of her time in Lorien, barely returning to Imladris, and Lord Elrond isolates himself."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" She whispered, completely taken aback by her brother's honesty in relating the twins' past. More than ever she wanted to be by Elladan's side, and yet knew that it was best if she left him alone.

"Because I have seen the way Elladan looks at you; the way you look at him. He loves you, Elerrina, but he will never tell you this story, and not because he does not want to, but because he cannot bear to do so. I believe you can take him out of his misery. You have already started to do so."

Legolas smiled sadly at her as his eyes stared deep into hers, swallowing her in infinite light blue oceans that seemed to reflect a morning sky. She did not say anything as she looked away from him, staring once again into the darkness of the forest ahead, lost in the point in which the elf she so deeply loved had faded into the distance.

"Come, give them the time they need" He said with a soft smile as he placed a hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her back to the spot in which they had slept. Elerrina did not complain, did not say anything as she slowly walked back, her head haunted by pain and darkness.

Silently, she lay back down on the ground and pretended to be tired, to want to get some sleep, even if she knew that she was not fooling Legolas. Nonetheless, he said nothing to her, and allowed her to lay on her side, her back to him, as she buried her head on Elladan's light blue cloak, loosing herself on his scent as se struggled to fade away into the world of peaceful dreams.

She did not know for how long she laid like that, awake while her mind wondered away, absent from all reality. She did not even know if she had fallen asleep, or if Legolas was still awake, but did not care.

Her insides reached for Elladan, longed to find, to feel him, and she almost gasped in surprise when she felt a warm presence inside of her. It was distant, and dull, but it was there. She could feel him, could feel his pain, his grief, and also knew that he was not alone; Elrohir was with him. She could not explain how she knew this, why she could feel this, but somehow knew that a bond was beginning to form between them. It was weak, and completely knew to her, but it existed. For the first time in her life, she understood what it felt to share a bond with someone even if it was still faint and barely reachable. She could feel him. He was already a part of her, and she a part of him, even if they had not officially bonded.

Lon g minutes stretched into hours, but sleep would not claim her. Gladly, she was pulled out of her trance when the noise of waking elves started to echo in the sleeping tree trunks. She rose to her feet unanimated, only to find out that Legolas had already departed to ready his horse.

Elves moved all around the camp, gracefully jumping onto the back of their horses and started to form a neat line. She could hear Glorfindel giving some instructions, but did not care about that as her eyes searched around the place, longing to find the pair of familiar silver eyes she yearned for.

The sky was now a murky shade of purple, as dawn threatened to break the peaceful silence of night. She felt herself breath a sigh of relief as her eyes fell on the silhouette o two identical figures emerging from the dark forest. Her feet started to move forward at a quick pace, taking her to the twins before her mind had a chance to think about it.

"Rina" She heard Elladan's soft voice say to her as she reached his side. Elrohir granted her a small smile before continuing his march towards his horse.

"Thank you," She said handing him back the folded cloak.

"You are most welcome" He said softly as he flung the light blue cloak around his shoulders, securing it with a beautiful silver pin. His eyes met hers and she was pulled into his endless pools of liquid silver.

"I hope the ground was comfortable enough for you, _your highness_" He said in a playful tone as he bent down in a dramatic bow, his eyes sparkling with silver mischief in their depths.

"Oh, I barely slept at all. It was so cold and hard" she complaint playfully, her eyes never leaving his.

"You fell asleep in seconds" he whispered in her ear, quickly pointing out the lies in her fake complaints. She smiled widely at him, but it did not last long.

"And you did not sleep at all" she whispered back, her eyes free-falling into his as his silver irises spoke better than any words. He knew that she knew. And he would not speak about it. Elerrina reached for him, feeling the need to be closer to him as she lifted her arms to wrap them around his neck.

"Shoulder!" Elladan warned her just in time for her to stop herself before touching him as he took a step back.

"Shoulder" she breathed with wide eyes as she realized how close her arm had been from fully resting over his healing wound. He let out a light laugh at her surprised look, the sweetest sound her ears could ever be delighted with. He then leaned in and stole a quick kiss from her in a moment in which no other elf was watching them.

In a swift, graceful movement, Elladan was already sitting straight on the back of his horse, a hand offered for her to take. She was pulled up to sit behind him and she wrapped her arms tightly around his middle.

"I _like_ you" She whispered close to his ear as they started to move to the front of the line. She saw his lips curve up in a smile, but he did not turn or said anything as they joined Glorfindel and Elrohir.

Not even seconds after, they were once again moving fast between the trees, her body jolting up and down to the galloping of Elladan's horse. Impulsively, her eyes darted to Elrohir, who rode just to their right, and found his cold eyes once again focused on the front, glazed with iced anger.

A ghostly silence crept around the party as the moved through the forest. She did not know for how long they had been riding: was it minutes? Hours? The sun should have been high in the sky by now, but the murky canvas of grey clouds prevented her from locating its position on the shaded sky.

The landscape around them had started to change, and they had been going slightly uphill for some time now. Large rocks grew from the ground to their sides and front, framing a landscape that was not new to her eyes. She could feel Vilya's impatience as it whispered loudly in a strange tongue, but there was something about its whispers that made her insides fill with anxiousness.

No sound could be heard as they now slowly walked up the rocky landscape. She could see the same rocks stretching infinitely to the sides and ahead, and wondered if it would be possible for them to find the place where the Elf-Lord was in such a vast collection of mountains.

Vilya cried again, the high-pitched wound ringing in her ears as it glowed brighter now. Her insides cringed at the cry as her eyes looked frantically around her. The blue-stoned ring was anxious, impatient to reach its master. And yet, she could not help but feel that something was wrong.

The elves around her seemed restless, alert eyes turning from left to right as they sat straight on the back of their horses. Their tension and sudden alarm told her that they were close to the orcs, and yet they had still not heard a sound.

Minutes stretched in this tensed aura as the deadly silence became heavier with each second. They marched on and on among the large rocks, but still no sound, no clue, no nothing. She started to wonder if the orcs had really been there in the first place; if the visions she witnessed had been true at all? She knew they should have already run into them, by the increased suspiciousness in the other elves' eyes.

She opened her mouth to say something to Elladan, but the words never left her mouth as the party suddenly halted. She could hear low whispers rising in the air around her as the elves started to mutter in elvish among them, their eyes glued to the front. Elerrina tightened her hold on the elder twin as she leaned to the side to be able to look at whatever had caused the commotion.

Some feet away from them, in the middle of a rocky clearing, a figure lay sprawled on the ground, unmoving. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine and air abandoned her lungs as her eyes fell on the figure: long, raven hair that shielded the face from their view, and an elegant light grey robe now stained with dirt and dust. It was Lord Elrond.

Here is chapter 30! I apologize for the wait. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Please let me know what you think, comments are greatly appreciated.

Once again, thank you deeply to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Supernaturalxfan172, Calaniel, Sovereignty3, CeffylGwyn, Paperlanterns86, booklover1498, MinNinniach, jibril, Zee and SarahWeasley.

Love,

Elena


	31. Break Through All Defenses

Elladan jumped from the horse in less than a second as he joined Elrohir and Glorfindel, who were already hurrying towards the unmoving figure of the Elf-Lord. For a moment, Elerrina could not move. Time and space had seemed to freeze, as her eyes remained glued on the Lord of Imladris' limp form.

She saw Elladan throw himself on the ground, kneeling to the right side of his father while Elrohir and Glorfindel took the left, their hands quickly assessing any signs of life. None of the other elves had moved, unsure of how to proceed in the situation as they nervously waited for news on their seemingly unconscious lord.

She could not bear to look at the Elf-Lord, and yet, her eyes would not part from his limp figure. Her mind kept reviving the terrifying seconds she spent hidden in the cold darkness of the cabinet while she heard the orcs successfully take captive the Master of Rivendell. She could still hear the sound of the Elf-Lord's light grey robes trashing as they hit the floor, the nauseating noise of a boot hitting flesh…

Elerrina watched expectantly as Glorfindel gently turned Elrond over on his back, her heart freezing in her chest as she saw both of the twins' eyes widen suddenly. Elrohir's hand reached to the Elf-Lord forehead, brushing away the dark strands of hair that fell on his face, the touch so gentle she hardly believed he had touched him. A large gash covered in dried blood spread over the Elf-Lord's right eyebrow, marking the place in which he had been brutally knocked unconscious. A fine trail of fresh blood still flowed from the wound, like a bright red threat that ran down the aggressively bruised cheekbone.

Elladan's quick fingers reached frantically to the side of his neck, checking for a pulse. Seconds seemed to stretch, and time seemed to stop as they all waited in silence, her heart drumming hardly inside her chest, its constant pounding the only sound that reached her ears. After long seconds, Elladan's silver gaze shot up to meet her eyes, the silver irises relieved and sure as he nodded his head before directing his gaze back to his father. Elerrina felt herself release the breath she did not know she had been holding as Elladan's low words echoed in the silent air, louder than they had been pronounced.

"Pulse is strong, although his skin feels ice cold" he breathed and she could see Elrohir let out a sigh of relief, even if his eyes did not travel up to meet his brother's gaze, never leaving his father's face.

"I do not see any blood, apart from that on the head wound" Elrohir's voice muttered as his eyes looked up at the Balrog Slayer, searching for a confirmation on his assumptions.

"Neither do I. There are two broken ribs, and the right arm also appears to be broken." She could hear Glorfindel's steady diagnose as his eyes traveled up and down his Lord's form, hands carefully feeling the bones for fractures. They were so close to her, only a couple of feet away from the place in which she stood, along with the forgotten party of elves; and yet, they seemed so far. Everything seemed so far and distant as her eyes watched carefully the scene before her, unable to look anywhere else. She felt as if an invisible barrier had formed, separating the rest of the elves from Glorfindel and the twins, as nobody dared to take a step closer.

But it was not that invisible barrier which prevented her from moving. The air felt strange, the dead silence crawling on her skin, the stillness making her shiver slightly. Vilya had become heavy around her neck, pulling towards its master, whispering lowly. Something lurked in the grey air; she could feel it, almost like a ghostly presence unreachable to her senses.

"Not a single orc" the soft, almost inaudible voice made her jump slightly, as she had not heard anybody approach. She turned her head to her left to meet Legolas' worried light blue gaze, his thoughts neatly legible on his narrowed eyes.

Sparing a quick look around her, she noticed the other elves gazing to their sides every once in a while, uneasy. She did not need words to know the thoughts that ran through their minds: Why were there no orcs? It looked as if the nasty creatures had simply abandoned the Elf-Lord. Were they waiting for them? Was all of this a trap? If it was indeed a trap or an ambush, then why had the orcs not attacked yet?

She saw Glorfindel gently scoop Lord Elrond into his arms, carrying the seemingly weightless body back to where the horses waited. A dark haired elf met him along the way, and helped the Balrog Slayer wrap the Elf-Lord in a thick, spare cloak. Elladan came to her side once his father was safely mounted on the horse, his limp form leaning against the golden haired warrior.

Elerrina could see clear worry inundating Elladan's liquid silver eyes, mixed with a strong sparkle of relief. His gaze met hers as he stood next his horse, upon which she sat, his thoughts completely transparent in his silver irises. He was also wondering about the orcs.

Suddenly she felt the strange, lurking presence make itself known again, a ghost traveling in the dead breeze. Elladan's eyes traveled to his left and right as she saw his body tense slightly. He was uneasy.

"Elladan" she whispered in a shaky voice that betrayed her fear and worry. The elder twin's silver eyes shot up immediately to meet hers, concerned.

"We have to go. There is something here." She said and he nodded his head in response, as his hand reached for hers, squeezing it reassuringly, but it did nothing to ease her anxiousness.

"We need to go. I want to leave. Elladan I want to leave. I do not want to stay here. There is something here." She knew she was starting to panic, but the presence felt stronger now. She felt watched. Her voice was low, whispered and shaky.

A sudden cold raced down her spine as the presence became stronger and Vilya cried loudly, echoing inside her head like high-pitched drums on her skull. She tried to pull away, but felt something tugging on the edge of her mind, pulling her against her own will. A splitting pain spread inside her head as she felt herself being pulled into darkness by a force much more powerful than her, Vilya's cries deafening her, only making the pain increase in level. It felt hard to breathe or concentrate on anything and she let out a cry in her attempt to block the presence that was forcefully breaking into her mind.

"_Who are you?" _

She felt the words echo loudly inside her head, bouncing on the walls of her skull in a haunting, grave voice. She tried to pull away, to liberate herself, but a strange force kept pulling at her.

"_Tell me your name"_

The voice echoed again, so loud, so demanding. She did not answer, the piercing pain behind her eyes making it impossible to think straight, let alone formulate words. Vilya kept crying loudly and all she wanted to do was scream, even if only to let out some of her pain.

She could hear some voices in the background, faint and distant, their words impossible to understand. She could hear her name being called, but was muffled by the sharp pounding inside her head and the loud, raspy voice.

"_You can trust me. Tell me your name" _

She felt the presence push further into her mind, trying to forcefully get the information it asked for. The brutality and magnitude of the attack made the worst of pains explode inside her head as she cried again, not even sure if she had been able to utter any sound at all. The attack was too strong against her weak defenses and suddenly she felt everything disappear: the presence, the voice, Vilya's cries. Everything remained black as she slipped into the open arms of unconsciousness…

Pain. That was the first thing she became aware of when her senses started to return to her. It was mild, but it was there, pounding behind her closed eyes. She could feel the gentle pace of a horse underneath her as well as a soft, humid breeze hitting her face. A strong arm held her by the waist, preventing her from slipping from the horse's back, and at the same time pushing her to lean against a chest.

Elerrina stirred ever so slightly, attempting to sit on her own, but the arm pulled her back.

"You can lean on me" She heard Elladan's musical voice whisper softly on her ear, but she was barely aware of it. Feeling safe inside Elladan's steady grip, she complied with his words, leaning her tired self against his chest as her head rested on his shoulder. The steady sound of the galloping horses felt like a hypnotizing lullaby as she felt herself drift away once more…

Elerrina awoke when she felt the movement underneath her suddenly stop. Her head still pounded painfully, and for a moment, she felt disoriented, not really remembering where she was or the reason why she was there. It took her a second to remember the grave voice echoing inside her head, demanding for her name.

"Rina? Can you hear me? We are stopping to get some rest" Elladan whispered gently on her ear, his warm breath caressing the side of her face as his words were pronounced softly, filled with tenderness and worry.

She could feel she was still leaning on him, her head still resting on his shoulder. Slowly, she lifted her head, and he lessened slightly his hold on her, allowing her to sit on her own. She felt her body slightly shaking as the fresh memories of her mind being forcefully invaded returned to her.

Slowly, she turned her head to face Elladan, only to find his silver eyes locked on her, filled with fear. Darkness had fallen around her, making her wonder for how long she had been unconscious. Had she screamed out loud? Had she spoken while her head was being split in half? Judging by Elladan's fearful eyes, she somehow knew she had vocalized some it.

She felt him release his hold on her, waiting for a minute to make sure she sitting steadily on her own before jumping from the horse, landing gracefully on his feet. She did not move as he grabbed her by the waist, carrying her down to the ground and softly placing her on her feet, never releasing his grip from her waist.

Elerrina threw her arms tightly around his middle, burying her head in the fine silk of his tunic, praying for his sweet scent to take away the ghost of the dark voice that continued to echo inside her head. She felt his arms wrapping tightly around her, holding on to her as his life depended on it, as if she would be snatched away from him any second. One of his hands rubbed soothing circles on her back while he pressed his lips on the top of her head, placing kisses all over her head and temple.

After a moment, he slipped his hand behind her knees and gently lifted her in his arms. She felt drained and her headache pierced on the back of her eyeballs. She did not complain as he carried her towards an isolated corner, close to the large fire the camping elves had ignited.

He lowered both of them to the ground, letting her lean against him once more, as he cradled her in his arms like he had done before in a few occasions. Her eyes slowly traveled over the camp, falling on a couple of dark haired elves who were carefully lowering the Elf-Lord's unmoving figure from Glorfindel's horseback.

Silently, she watched as the Lord of the Valley was gently laid down on ground, close to the fire, and covered in more cloaks as Glorfindel and other elves started to hover over him, probably taking care of his wounds. She could see Elrohir among them, carefully tending to the broken arm.

She closed her eyes in an attempt to shield herself from the pain in her head and felt Elladan's hand softly stroking her hair, as if he knew she was hurting.

"Go to sleep" He ordered softly as his hand continued to brush through her golden strands of hair. She shook her head lightly in response. She did not want to go to sleep, fearing the presence would suddenly return and break into her mind.

"No" She finally whispered as she shifted in his arms and buried her face in between his neck and shoulder, placing a kiss to the side of his neck. His curtain of dark hair shielded her from the bright fire, helping slightly with the pain as she kept her eyes closed. His hand travelled to her back, once again rubbing soothing circles.

"Then, what can I do for you?" He asked gently as he did not continue to insist. She knew that he believed sleep would eventually claim her, for even though she intended to fight it, she knew it would eventually happen.

"Talk to me" She said in a barely audible voice, not opening her eyes as she remained in the comforting darkness of the crook of his neck.

"About what?" He answered with a soft chuckle while his hand traced another circle on her back.

"You" She breathed out. She desperately wanted to distract her mind, to loose herself in the sound of his voice as he spoke, no matter the topic. He laughed lightly at her request, the melodic sound already distracting her momentarily from the splitting pain.

"What would you like to hear?" He whispered as she let out tired sigh.

"Anything." She shifted the position of her head until she felt incredibly comfortable, her face still buried in the crook of his neck. "Tell me something I do not know already"

"Something you do not know…" He muttered as he thought for a moment, his hand rubbing her back making her feel slightly sleepy already as she fought to stay awake.

"I do not like strawberries, or the color purple" She felt the faintest of laughs escape her lips at his words.

"Strawberries are my favorites" She whispered tiredly with a smile.

"I know. I have noticed." He said with a chuckle before continuing. "I am deathly afraid of mice. Once Elrohir thought it funny to place one on my head and I chocked and almost passed out. You should have heard the lecture he received from Adar."

She laughed lightly again, trying her best not to move as to not reawaken her slightly lessening pain.

"Also, I can move my ears" He added as his hand continued to rub her back soothingly, the constant movement slowly dulling the pain as she fought against sleep.

"What?" she said with a muted chuckle. "How do you do that?"

However, Elladan did not answer and she heard light steps come to stop next to where they sat on the ground.

"How is she doing?" She heard Elrohir's kind voice asking his twin in a low whisper. She heard no answer from Elladan's part, and thus assumed that they had silently exchanged words in a look.

"Elerrina?" She lifted her head upon the younger twin's soft call of her name, squinting somewhat painfully at the light.

"Drink this. It will make the pain stop" Nodding her head silently, she accepted the cup Elrohir was handing her. She did not ask about how he knew she had a headache, she could already guess that Elladan had informed him.

Slowly she lifted the cup to her lips just as Elrohir sat on the ground next to his twin brother. The taste was bitter and she completely disliked it, but she would drink it if it would take away the pounding behind her eyeballs.

"How is Ada?" Elladan asked as his silver eyes turned to meet an equal pair.

"Still unresponsive. His wounds are nothing life threatening, although the blow to the head worries me. I do not know how many hours he has been unconscious already, or how many more he will be."

Her gaze travelled again to the still figure of the Elf-Lord lying on the ground close to the roaring fire as she lifted the cup once again to her lips.

"Ro, the orcs did not torture him. They barely touched him at all" Elladan said softly, his tone sounding wary.

"I know. I saw that" was the simple answer. Elrohir's eyes held the same thoughtful look reflected in Elladan's. She could almost hear the unspoken questions behind the pronounced ones. Why had the orcs left the Elf-Lord to be rescued?

Elrohir gently took the cup from her hands once she had finished its bitter contents. He offered her a smile before standing up and making his way back to where his father lay, underneath Glorfindel's watchful soft blue eyes.

Silently she buried her face back in the crook of Elladan's neck, but this time he leaned back until he was lying on the ground, pulling her to lie next to him. She did not complain or fight as she comfortably lied down on the ground, her head resting on Elladan's shoulder while his arms wrapped around her.

"Now go to sleep" He said gently in her ear. She felt tired, exhausted, and started to finally give in to his request. And yet, she was still afraid of abandoning herself into her mind, into the dark haunting voice, or the sole idea that the presence might return. Fighting sleep would be of no use now, for she could already feel herself start to drift away, the sounds and smells becoming distant.

"Dan?" She whispered as she made an effort to lift her head and look directly into his eyes, her own green orbs wide with fear. His liquid silver eyes regarded her expectantly, lovingly, as he waited for her words.

"Please stay here. Do not go off into the forest tonight. Stay with me, please." She had never asked him to stay before. She knew it was somewhat selfish to deny him of his escape into the forest that night, but her fears overpowered her mind.

He softly pushed her back down until her head was once again resting on his shoulder and his hand started to gently stroke her hair, making her close her eyes as sleep finally claimed her.

"I am not going anywhere" was all she heard before her tired mind travelled into the distance, to the peaceful time and space of rest…

Another Chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Please le me know what you think of it, comments are greatly appreciated!

And thanks to all of you who reviewed my latest chapter: SarahWeasley, Coco99, Sovereignty3, CeffylGwyn, Paperlanterns86, booklover1498, Zee, MsLovesToRead789 and GloryBee. Your comments mean a lot to me, and you are the best reviewers ever!

Love,

Elena


	32. Wake Me Up

_The familiar dense forest grew all around her, the golden light filtering scarcely through the thick, green foliage, tracing various patterns on the grass underneath her feet. She looked to the front, eyes expecting what she already knew they would find. The elfling was there, crouching over a large rock, one hand playing absently with the crystal waters of the stream. Again, no sound, no smell, no senses. Only images. _

_She waited patiently for the light blond elfling to look up only to once again stare into a familiar large pair of innocent blue eyes. He looked at her, his mouth moving to words she could not hear, and then he turned around, little arms swinging at his sides as he ran way from the stream. _

_The dense forest vanished, blinding white light taking over the shape of trees as they morphed into long, thin columns of an endless hall. The golden haired lady was there, arms open to catch the smiling Legolas as he flung himself to her. Golden hair shone under the bright light as the lady pressed a kiss to her squealing son's forehead. Elerrina only watched, once again caught in the familiar scene, waiting for her presence to be acknowledged. _

_Another figure came into view, new to the scene she had witnessed before. A tall elf stood beside the golden haired lady, long, light blond hair falling over his shoulders and back, framing the fair features of a pale face. He was dressed in an elegant olive green robe, embroidered in silver and gold, and a delicate silver crown rested atop his head in she shape of leaves. She watched as the regal looking elf slid one arm around the lady's waist, and froze as his face turned to look in her direction. _

_His features were of the fairest she had ever seen, and his resemblance to Legolas was undeniable, but what struck her the most was the enchanting pair of ice blue eyes that seemed to swallow her into their endless depths, infinite and wise, seeming capable of seeing beyond her eyes and into her thoughts, powerful magic trapped inside his ice blue stare…_

Elerrina blinked twice as she abruptly woke up. She was lying on her side on the ground, Elladan's arm wrapped loosely around her middle and her back pressed to his chest. He had stayed. His warm breath fell lightly on the skin of her neck; making small shivers sun down her spine with each breath he took. She did not need to turn around to know he was awake. She turned over in his arms to face him, her green eyes meeting his liquid silver ones instantly. He had not slept this night either; she could see it in his tired eyes.

"How do you feel?" He asked in a soft whisper, his eyes looking worriedly into hers.

"I feel fine" She answered truthfully. The pain inside her head had completely disappeared, and she felt well rested, the loud voice and splitting pain only a memory that remained fresh inside her mind.

Slowly, she sat up on the ground, Elladan imitating her at her side, taking her hand in his and caressing the back of it softly with his thumb. Dawn was breaking above the dense foliage of the forest, the pink light reducing the yellowing color of the leaves to a murky shade of purple. Paying attention to her surroundings for the first time, she noticed that they had not camped on the same place they previously had. They were travelling slower now.

She could see Elrohir sitting on the opposite side of the camp, next to Glorfindel, both elves looking down at the still figure of the Elf-Lord. Some of the elves had already awakened and started to ready their horses, while others remained fast asleep, lying around the ashen remains of the dead fire.

"Has anything changed?" She asked as she turned her gaze to meet his. His silver eyes had not turned away from her, fearful, worried, as if she were made of crystal and were about to fall and shatter in a million pieces.

"No" was his soft reply. She turned her gaze away towards the place where the Elf-Lord lay unconscious. She nearly gasped when Glorfindel's eyes looked up to meet hers, soft blue irises staring at her for a long moment before he stood and started to make his way towards where she sat.

"How are you feeling, Elerrina?" asked the golden haired warrior as he sat on the ground across from her and Elladan.

"I am fine" She replied again, and the Balrog Slayer simply nodded in response.

"What happened yesterday? Did you see what attacked you?" came the dreaded question. The voice was kind, gentle, as he demanded for an answer. She looked into Glorfindel's blue eyes for a moment, unable to look away or deny an answer.

"No" She answered in a low voice, as Glorfindel's eyes continued to pierce her. "I could not see anything, I could only hear a voice." Once again the golden haired warrior nodded in reply before questioning her again.

"What did it tell you? Did you say anything in return?" She could feel the thread of urgency and seriousness hidden in his gentle voice as his eyes looked wary now. She knew exactly what he was thinking, what worried him the most: if she had revealed Vilya. Elrohir's silver eyes were fixed on them from the other side of the camp, although she was sure he could not hear their whispered words.

"It asked for my name. It kept asking who I was, tried to break into my mind to get the answer. I did not say anything, I could not think straight, the pain did not let me think." She received another nod from Glorfindel as the look in his eyes softened a little, somewhat relieved at the information she gave him.

"So, the attacker did not know who you were. He was not expecting to find you. This is the first time you experience a mental attack, I assume. Whoever it was, was not counting that the force of the attack would send you unconscious instead of allowing him to break into your mind. I believe he was expecting stronger defenses."

"Why would he attack her? Do you think whoever it was knows that she carries _it_?" She heard Elladan ask, his silver eyes looking directly into Glorfindel's soft blue ones. Neither one had, or would, mention the name of the ring outside of Imladris.

"I do not think so. Although I believe the attacker sensed its power, but could not tell from where it came. That, I think, was the cause of the attack. She does not wield _it_, but _it_ remains awake. The connection she shares with _it_ makes it impossible to distinguish her presence from _its_ presence. It is as if _it _were a part of her. He might have thought she was the powerful one, hence the force of the attack."

"But the attacker never received an answer form her part" Added Elladan in a low voice, his silver eyes locked with Glorfindel's as they stared at each other in silence. She could feel Elladan's body tense slightly, and knew that his words were only the grasp hope he intended to hold on to.

"Elladan" said Glorfindel softly as his eyes looked intently into the elder twin, emphasizing his words as he spoke. She felt as if her presence had long been forgotten, being merely reduced to the subject of the conversation. "The attacker may not know of _its_ existence, and he may not know who she is, but he now knows she exists. He knows there is a power."

The words floated gauntly in the air for long seconds, and she felt as if a death sentence had been given to her. She felt the memory of the haunting voice echo again inside her mind, asking for her name. Now more than ever she wanted to be back in the safe Valley, to have never come in the first place. Elrohir's gaze was fixed on her, silver eyes looking into hers intently from the distance, as if he knew exactly what had just been said.

Without another word, Glorfindel stood up and walked away under Elladan's cold silver glare. Suddenly, Vilya felt heavier, a burden hanging from her neck. She wanted to get rid of it, to throw it away, to never have been able to see it. But what scared her the most was the possibility of another mental attack. However, she did not let her fears show, as she remained still, her face a composed expression.

"Thank you for staying" she said in a low voice trying to deviate her thoughts from Glorfindel's words. Elladan turned to face her, offering her a small smile as he squeezed her hand lightly.

"Any time" he said as he leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

"So…mice?" She teased him and he laughed lightly in return.

"So you _did_ listen to me last night" was his reply as his tired silver eyes sparkled with their characteristic mischief, the worried expression replaced by a carefree grin for a short moment.

He rose to his feet, offering her a hand and pulling her up next to him. All the elves were awake by now, some already on their horses as the party prepared to depart once more. She could still feel Elladan's eyes fixed on her, as if she would disappear. His hand remained entwined with hers, and he would not let go.

The pink light of dawn had been replaced by the clear golden one of early morning as the Sun started its path through sky above them. The grey clouds from the day before still covered the sky, blocking the sunrays from fully illuminating the forest.

Elladan started to lead the way to where his horse waited, and out of the corner of her eyes, she watched how two elves carefully lifted Lord Elrond onto Glorfindel's mount, the Balrog Slayer securing a hand around his waist to prevent him from falling. She noticed Elladan's eyes turn in the direction of his father, and she could almost feel his pain washing through her body.

He jumped onto his horse in a graceful movement and offered her a hand to take. Seconds later she was being pulled onto the horse in front of him as his hands held on to the reins at either side of her.

"I hope that I am at the front because you enjoy my closeness and not because you believe I might fall off" She whispered playfully, turning her head to look at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Of course" he whispered in he ear as one of his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her closer to him as if to press his point. She could not help but laugh lightly as she turned her face back to the front.

She knew the reason why she was riding at the front, she could see it in the way he had been looking at her since she woke up; in the way he would not let go of her for even a second. Part of her felt irritated that he did not believe she was fine, but she would ride wherever he wanted her to, if only to ease some of his worries. She had, after all, being unconscious for the most part of the ride the day before, leaning on him for support for she could not stay upright.

"I love you" he whispered, his breath tickling her ear as they started their slow march through the yellowing forest. She could hear the deep honesty in his voice, and she felt sudden warmth swell inside her chest as her lips curved up in a smile. She knew he loved her already. And that was all that mattered to her.

The march through the forest was slow, careful attention seemed to be paid not to move the Elf-Lord too much. She also noticed that they rode in a different formation that they previously had: Glorfindel was at the center, carrying Lord Elrond's limp form, and the other elves rode in a loose circle around them. Everyone seemed alert, eyes looking from side to side, almost as if expecting a surprise ambush to be waiting for them.

She caught a glimpse of Legolas somewhere to her left, and immediately looked away, the images form her dream flashing in front of her eyes. She saw the tall, blond elf, standing next to the lady and the elfling, the silver crown atop his head reflecting the blinding white light as his ice blue eyes stared into her.

She knew who the elf was, but could not force her mind to realize it. He was the king. Legolas' father. Her father. Thranduil was his name, she remembered reading it in his elegant signature on the letters he had written about her. Part of her mind refused to believe it, choosing to see him as the strange elf in her dream, and she knew exactly why: because he was alive. He was alive and breathing in that exact moment, somewhere far away from she was. She no longer had a mother, but she did have a father, even if she did not know him.

Elerrina closed her eyes for a moment, trying to block away the image of the regal elf staring at her, but to no avail. It made her feel nervous, guilty that she did not love him. Everything felt so unreal. Elladan had remained silent behind her, and she could feel his eyes turn to his father every once in a while, in perfect synchronization with his twin.

She did not know for how long they had been riding when she started to feel raindrops landing on her head and shoulders. They started slow, a long lapse between one drop and the next, but seconds later they fell simultaneously, running down her hair and body, drenching every single elf in the party.

With one hand, she placed the hood of her cloak over her head, as did all the other elves, but felt that the protection it offered was almost inexistent. The sound of the rain felt like a soft lullaby accompanying the silent march, soothing against the troubled minds.

A soft moan escaped the lips of the Elf-Lord and she felt Elladan instantly turn his head in his direction. She also turned around, finding the other twin's gaze already fixed on his father's still form.

"My Lord? Can you hear me?" She heard Glorfindel ask in a soft voice, as his eyes look down at the unconscious elf in his arms. She felt her heart accelerate, longing to see the Elf-Lords grey eyes flutter open. But no response came as Lord Elrond became silent once more, remaining limp in front of his Seneschal.

She heard Elladan sigh silently in frustration, his eyes never leaving his father, and felt a pang of guilt at her own concern for the Elf-Lord. Would she be as worried had the limp figure been her own father? The image of the tall king flashed once again in front of her eyes, wise ice blue eyes staring deeply into her, swallowing her into their infinity.

They continued to ride for more long hours. The cold autumn rain made her cloak stick to her body, and at the same time engulfed her in a comforting curtain that seemed to isolate her from the other elves around them.

Glorfindel's words from the morning kept dancing inside her mind. There had been a presence in the rocky clearing the day before and had attacked her, and more so, the presence had been in the same place they had found Lord Elrond. Not a single orc had yet crossed their path.

She heard Lord Elrond moan again and Glorfindel held up a hand in indications to stop. The elves started to one by one jump down from their horses, ready to establish another camp for the night. Her eyes remained glued on the still figure of the Elf-Lord, who stirred lightly, but did not yet wake.

Elladan jumped from the horse in a quick movement, gently helping her down before turning around and rushing to Glorfindel. She remained still, standing besides Elladan's horse as she watched the Balrog Slayer carefully lower the Elf-Lord to the elder twin's waiting arms before dismounting. Elrohir had already joined them, as well as some other elves from the party who exchanged some elvish words.

"Is he awake?" Legolas' voice pulled out of her trance as she turned around to meet his infinite blue eyes. The rain had slowly started to die down, leaving a heavy cloud of humidity floating in the air. Night had already fallen, the whole day obscured by the heavy canvas of grey clouds.

She shook her head as an answer as she turned her eyes once more to the twins and Glorfindel. Lord Elrond had been lowered to the ground on his back, his head resting on Elrohir's lap as the younger twin softly stroked his wet strands of dark hair. Elladan was kneeling next to his twin, his eyes never leaving his father's figure.

She felt Legolas grab her gently by the arm, guiding them both to a place where they could get a closer view, but choosing to stay on the side. Another moan escaped the Elf-Lord's lips as he stirred once again.

"Ada? Can you hear me?" Elrohir said softly, producing another moan in reply. Elladan took the Elf-Lord's hand in his as he leaned closer, Glorfindel kneeling at his other side.

"Ada?" She heard Elladan ask and Lord Elrond moaned again in reply. The twins exchanged a relieved look before directing their gazes back to their father.

"Elrond, open your eyes." Came Glorfindel's gentle command as he leaned closer.

Slowly, the Elf-Lord's eyes fluttered open, blinking twince as they tried to focus on the elves surrounding him. Elerrina let out a sigh of relief and her heart calmed down as she saw the relieved smiles that appeared in both of the twins' faces. The Elf-Lord shut his eyes again as his left hand weakly reached to his forehead. Elrohir turned to look at one of the elves standing next to him, and the elf immediately nodded his head and walked towards where some other elves had already unpacked the healing supplies.

"It is good to have you back" She heard Glorfindel say with a smile as he looked down at his friend. Elrond dropped his hand back to his side and blinked a couple of more times, his silver eyes dazed and confused.

"You have been out for quite a while, Ada" said Elladan in a soothing tone, also with a relieved smile on his face as he gently squeezed his father's hand. The Elf-Lord's eyes turned to look at his son, confused as he focused on the elder twin's face. He closed his eyes and opened them again, but the disorientation and confusion never left the silver irises.

"My Lord?" asked Glorfindel still smiling softly, waiting for the Elf-Lord to say something. Lord Elrond turned his eyes again in the direction of the Balrog Slayer, the silver orbs disoriented as they traveled over the golden haired warrior's face, carefully studying every single feature, trying to focus.

"Elrond?" Glorfindel's smile vanished as his expression turned worried now, blue eyes fixed on the silver ones of his Lord. Elerrina felt herself freeze as she watched both of the twin's smiles also disappear. Every elf seemed frozen as they all watched attentively.

"Ada?" The Elf-Lord's eyes turned to Elladan, equally confused and dazed as he studied his firstborn's face. "Ada? It is me, Elladan." Again no reply.

"Elrond?" said Glorfindel again, his tone concerned. The Elf-Lord turned his gaze to him once again, but no reply came as his confused eyes studied his friend's face for the second time.

"My Lord, do you know who I am?" Elerrina felt her heart stop as the golden haired warrior voiced the question everyone had been dreading to hear. She held her breath as the Elf-Lords eyes turned again to look at his elder son before returning to look at his Seneschal for long seconds, confused, unfocused, as he processed the question that had just been asked him.

The air seemed to go cold and heavy as the Lord of Imladris slowly shook his head from side to side. No. Everything seemed to stop as shocked expressions took hold of every elf's face. Elrohir tensed. Elladan rose to his feet, lips pressed in a thin line, his silver eyes cold, angered. Abruptly, he turned around and strode away, walking past her.

"Elladan.." She said hopelessly as she gently grabbed him by the arm, but he glared at her fiercely and shook her hand away with a strong movement of his arm before continuing past her and fading into the dense forest.

She remained still, too shocked to move as she felt her throat start to tighten.

"Ada?" She heard Elrohir keep trying, his voice broken, hopeless. "Ada, Do you not recognize me?"

Here is chapter 32! Sorry for the wait, once again I had a crazy week. Please let me know what you think!

Thank you again to y wonderful reviewers for my latest chapter: Coco99, She Elf of Hidden Lore, CeffylGwyn, Lizzie, MinNinniach, paperlanterns86, booklover1498, mazzmataz, MsLovesToRead789, Sovereignty3, and Zee. I really appreciate all of your comments! It feels wonderful to have readers like you!

Love,

Elena


	33. Watch It Pour

Everything seemed distant, like dazed, cold images, as Elerrina remained rooted to the ground. Silence floated in the air like a deathly ghost as every elf seemed to have ceased breathing for a moment. She could not move. Could not speak. The trees rocked dully to the chilled breeze, their dark leaves producing no sound as they swayed in the hollow waltz.

"Ada?" Came Elrohir's despaired plea, a whisper carried in the grasp of the cold breeze. She watched the Elf-Lord's grey eyes try to focus again, but the foggy, tired gaze held no signs of recognition.

Elerrina felt her heart ache, as her insides appeared to constrict, her throat so tight it felt hard to breathe. It felt as if her chest had suddenly been pressed too tight and she felt hopeless, despaired, an indescribable feeling of pain and sorrow taking hold of her. And yet, she knew these emotions were not caused by her own body when they disappeared a second after they arrived, as if the owner had repressed them and stored them inside.

"Elrohir" She heard Glorfindel whisper lowly as his pained soft blue eyes threw a sympathetic look at the younger twin while he shook his head slightly. Pained silver eyes met the Balrog Slayer's steady gaze and Elrohir finally seemed to give up his despaired pleas, unwillingly understanding that his father was not going to recognize him at the moment.

The Elf-Lord's eyes hid again under heavy eyelids and an exhausted sigh left his lips as his left hand traveled once more to rest on his forehead. A dark haired elf walked forward and handed Elrohir a cup filled with steaming liquid. No words were exchanged as the elf quickly returned to stand some distance away.

Elerrina turned her head to her right, eyes lost in the spot in which Elladan's figure had vanished among the dark trees. It had been his emotions the ones she had felt run through her only a few seconds ago, and she was sure about it. She felt useless, merely another breathing body in this lifeless night.

The pale traces of moonlight battled almost indifferently against the heavy canvas of grey clouds, like white ghosts penetrating dimly into the atmosphere. It was cold and humid, and yet no elf moved to make a fire, the vivid roar of the red flames seeming like a comfort they did not deserve.

Turning her head once more, she found that Elf-Lord appeared to have succumbed into unconsciousness once again. The iced look on Elrohir's eyes sent shivers down her spine. His face was expressionless, empty, and yet his eyes were hard, focused into nothing in particular, cold and hostile. The same look that she had seen in Elladan's eyes.

She watched, unable to move, as Glorfindel moved to sit next to Elrohir, resting one hand over his shoulder in a comforting gesture. She had known that the golden haired warrior was a second father figure for the twins, and it made her heart clench when she saw the younger twin bitterly pull away from the Balrog Slayer's touch, his grey eyes darkened with anger.

Without thinking what she was doing, Elerrina turned around, her feet leading her purposely towards the forest, following the path Elladan had taken. She did not know what she was doing, but she could not simply stay and watch the hard, cold look in Elrohir's eyes, knowing that they were only a mirror image of Elladan's own expression.

She felt Glorfindel's eyes on her, and threw one last look at his direction. Dark green eyes met a deep pair of soft blue ones, gazing at her intently, the expression on his face unreadable. She almost expected him to stop her, as he had done before, but he did not say anything. Wordlessly, she turned her gaze away from him, and to the forest ahead, and continued her march into the darkness of the silent trees, away from Legolas, from Elrohir, from the Elf-Lord, from all the other elves.

Elerrina did not turn around as her feet kept leading her through the darkness. The air was cold and hollow, the trees muted under the pale moonlight. The soft crunching of the fallen leaves as her feet fell over them was the only sound that reached her ears as she continued forward, not knowing her destination.

Somehow, the empty silence of the sleeping forest felt comforting, and at the same time terrifying. The chilled breeze embraced her in its gentle grasp as she kept walking, searching for Elladan through their weak bond. Her brain kept telling her to return while she still remembered the way back, but her body had long ceased to obey her logical mind.

She froze when she found him standing still next to a tall tree trunk, his back to her, unmoving. She watched petrified at his still form, his long, dark hair contrasting sharply with his pale skin and light blue cloak, shimmering in dim sparkles of silver under the ghostly moonlight. He was standing at a considerable distance from her, and yet she knew that he had heard her approach, he knew she was there.

She did not know what to do, what to say as she simply waited for him to act first. She could not force her feet to move forward, feeling the she would break an invisible barrier that held him in his private solitude. He had not wanted to be followed, she knew that, and yet, she could not leave him alone. Long moments passed in dead silence, but he did not turn, did not move, almost as if he did not know she was there.

"Elladan?" She heard her shaky, hesitant voice leave her lips, the sound echoing in the trees. It caused no reaction from his part. Not knowing from where her will came from, Elerrina felt herself take a couple of steps forward, slowly, until she was standing right behind him.

She had expected him to be angry with her, to snap at her, to yell, to tell her to go away, anything but what he was doing. His cold silence felt heavier than any hurtful word. Standing closer to him, she could see his body slightly trembling, out of ire no doubt.

"Elladan?" She whispered again, her voice low, soothing, but it seemed as though he had not heard her. Slowly, she walked to stand beside him, her eyes looking for his, longing for his gaze to meet hers, but he did not look. His silver eyes were hard, bitter and ice cold, filled with pure hatred as they stared emptily at the distance. Those were not the eyes she had come to love. They seemed lifeless, incapable of joy, resentful.

"Elladan? Will you look at me?" She tried again in a soft, nearly broken voice. Her hand reaching up to touch him, but stopping in along the way, dreading the reaction it could cause.

Once again, no answer. She saw his trembling intensify at her words, but he did not move, not even blinked. His lips remained pressed together in a thin line, his jaw tensed and his fists clenched into tight balls. She searched his face; her eyes noticing the weak silver shimmer of unshed tears starting to form in his eyes, threatening to fall as he struggled to keep his composure.

"Elladan, please" She breathed, her voice a pained plea while her eyes looked at him, her heart shattering to pieces inside her chest. She saw him swallow, but continued to ignore her, his lips quivering faintly as he held back the tears.

She wanted to hold him, to soothe him in his pain the same way he had comforted her, but he would not let her. She would not touch him without his consent, even if it pained her greatly. Elerrina felt a lump in her throat as the first tear ran down his right cheek, tracing a frail, wet path upon his pale skin before falling from his chin.

He was shaking harder now, unable to contain himself any longer, and she knew that it was only causing him more anger. More pain. A second tear followed the first, this time in his left cheek, and after that they flowed freely down his face in complete silence.

She watched as he lifted a hand and angrily whipped away his cheeks, but every time he blinked, new tears rolled down his face. She felt useless, pained that he was ignoring her thus, refusing her comfort, refusing to share in his pain. He was trembling hard now, his breathing shaking with muted sobs that would not escape his pressed lips. Slowly, she reached her had up once again, gently, hesitantly as she tested if he would let her touch him.

"Elladan?" She whispered, almost inaudibly, as her hand carefully came in contact with his arm.

The reaction was immediate, knocking her breath away when he suddenly turned around and wrapped his arms around her, collapsing onto her while he buried his face in her golden locks of hair. Her heart broke and she too wrapped her arms around him, holding him with all of her strength, as if life itself depending on it, she would not let go. She felt his body shake with sobs that now escaped shamelessly from his lips, finally giving up all of his defenses. She held tighter, feeling her own eyes swell with tears. No words left her mouth, and no words were needed.

Elerrina felt a barrier be suddenly lifted from around him as she felt a hurricane of emotions shake her body. She felt his anguish, his despair, his deep pain and sorrow, frustration, anger, hatred. All of them swirling through her as he reach for her through their bond, letting her in completely. And she welcomed them; she let herself share in all of his pain reaching to him to offer comfort even if it resulted almost inexistent. Her hands gripped to his body with a force she did not know she had, she would not let anyone come near him that night.

She understood his anger, his sudden hostiles reactions at such situations, his coldness that seemed to communicate that he did not care. He did care. And it was slowly destroying him, as well as it was Elrohir. Even the strongest ones had a breaking point.

"You screamed" She heard him say between chocked sobs as he held tight to her body. "You screamed…and tossed around… and I… I could not…. could not…do anything"

She felt tears now stream silently down her cheeks as she heard him tell her about her mind attack, about what had been bothering him the entire day.

"We tried… I tried…to call you back…. but…" He trailed off and she tightened her hold on him, at a complete loss of words. Her head was pressed to his chest and one of his hands travelled to the back of her head, pulling her to him while he rested a wet cheek to her temple.

"And now…he…" He started, but the words seemed to die before they left his lips and he fell silent again. She did not need to hear the words. She knew exactly what he was feeling, she felt his utter despair at a world that seemed to be crumbling to pieces around him, and he could do nothing about it, neither could he do anything to fix it.

The dark clouds had finally cleared form the sky, and the pale moonlight fell upon them brighter now, like a comforting silver blanket in the darkness of the night. Long hours passed while they held each other, but she could not tell, she had completely lost track of time. Despaired sobs continued to wrack his body as she held him tight. She wondered for how long had he held his tears? How long had he repressed his pain? How long had all of these emotions battled to be freed?

Slowly, Elladan's crying quieted down to soft sobs as he breathed unevenly, his eyes long ago dried out of tears. She felt his body continue to shake , and also suddenly noticed that his skin was ice cold to her touch, making her doubt if his shaking was due to crying or cold.

"Elladan, you are freezing" She breathed out and one of her hands reached up to touch his cheek as he gently pulled away from her to look at her in the eyes for the first time in that night. He was exhausted; she knew that he had not slept in the past two nights, which only added strength to his frustration and despair.

The soft skin under her palm felt like ice as her eyes looked deeply into his sad silver ones, delineated with red from crying. His cheeks were stained with the dried path of dead tears, and she could feel that her own cheeks looked the same at the moment.

He placed his hand over hers on his cheek and she could also feel that his hand felt incredibly cold. The night was a cold one, and they both were still damp from the rainy afternoon, but her skin did not feel nearly as cold as his. In fact, the cold did not affect her, but she could see that he was shivering slightly. She took both of his hands in hers, trying to warm them up with her own.

"Why are you so cold?" She whispered as her green eyes searched into his, concerned. His face was expressionless, empty, as if all of his emotions had been drained out of his body, leaving only an exhausted carcass after his tears had washed away all the life in him.

"Because it is cold" Was his answer, his voice low and tired as his eyes looked directly into hers. "And because I am a Half-Elf"

She did not reply, but merely held his hands tighter, trying to warm them. Of course. She had forgotten that detail. She knew that the twins were Half-Elves, as well as the Elf-Lord, thus the answer did not came as a surprise to her. What surprised her was the realization that he was affected by the cold.

"Let us go back" She said gently, never breaking his gaze. "Perhaps they have started a fire that can warm you up."

"No" He whispered in return. "I want to stay here" The words were barely audible as his tired eyes kept looking at her. She nodded her head silently, letting herself free fall into his seemingly empty silver eyes, reaching him in a way she never had before, as if his soul was connected to her, and she knew that they had both let the other into them, sealing a bond that felt strong now, nearly unbreakable.

" At least take off your cloak, it is soaked in cold water" She asked softly and felt her insides grow heavy as his silver eyes turned to eye the cloak that hung around his shoulders, the look distant, unfocused on reality.

She reached her own hands to his chest and released the silver pin that secured the cloak together, lifting the wet garment from his shoulders, but he did not seem to notice.

Wordlessly, he sat on the hard ground, his eyes staring off into the distance. She followed him and lowered herself next to him, her eyes locked in his empty face. Without turning to look at her, she felt him take her hand in his, gently lifting it to his lips and pressing a light kiss on the back of it. His face then turned to look at her, his eyes sad, yet loving, holding a look she had never seen in them before.

Gently, she pulled him down until he was lying on the ground, his head cradled on her lap. He did not object, did not say anything, almost as if nothing mattered to him any longer. She watched him close his eyes as she softly stroked his hair, his breathing coming out even and calmed now. She could feel his sorrow, the weight of his grief and responsibilities, and at the same time knew that he was exhausted and would sooner or latter succumb to the well-needed sleep.

The trees swayed again to the cold breeze, their leaves dancing in silence above their heads as the moon continued its slow path through the dark blue sky. Elladan had fallen into a deep sleep, away from his despair and anger, and Elerrina continued to stroke his silky strands of dark hair softly. She did not feel tired, she would not sleep. This night she would simply watch over him, hoping that the sunrise would bring a brighter day for everyone.

Here is chapter 33! It is a little sad, and I hope it did not make you cry! Let me know what you think! Again, I will try to update as soon as I can.

Thank you deeply to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: SarahWeasley, She Elf of Hidden Lore, Paperlanterns86, Sovereignty3, Melty-Chan 93, booklover1498, MinNinniach, Zee, jibril, Coco99, CeffylGwyn, and my guest reviwers.

I really appreciate all of your comments! They mean a lot.

Also, to my guest reviewer: you asked a couple of questions but since you are reviewing as a guest I can't reply to your review, no matter how much I want to. Where can I answer your questions?

Love,

Elena


	34. Cold Grasp Of Fright

The night was cold and silent as Elerrina quietly sat under the dense canopy of the sleeping trees. It must have been past midnight, but she was not sure for how many hours she had sat on the ground. She was only sure that dawn would not come for at least some more hours.

Elladan lay fast asleep, his head resting on her lap while she softly stroked his long, dark strands of hair. Her hand moved automatically now and her eyes could not depart from the fine features of his relaxed face; from his chest rising and falling gently with his even breaths; from his silver eyes, glazed while lost in his peaceful sleep. And yet, her mind had long ago drifted off into a different time and space, the quiet solitude providing no distraction from her thoughts.

She thought of Vilya, silent for the moment, its presence almost unnoticed to her now as it hung around her neck. What kind of power did that simple blue-stoned ring carried in it? Such a little thing, and such a strong power, as if it had its own mind. Her thoughts also drifted back to the Elf-Lord. Did he remember the ring? What would happen if he did not? There was more than one ring like Vilya; Glorfindel had mentioned it to her. Where were those rings? How many more?

And what about her? Why could she see Vilya? Why was Vilya awake when she held it? She was not wearing it. She was not its master. She did not wield it. Would the same happen with the other rings? Would she also be connected to the other rings master's minds, like she was to Lord Elrond's? Would her mind link with the Elf-Lord still function even if he did not remember the ring or her?

Her trail of thought was cut by a soft, cold breeze that brushed away some strands of her golden hair, feeling like iced hands that caressed her skin. A shiver ran down her spine as she was suddenly struck with a heavy feeling of fear, her hand abruptly stopping its gentle movement through Elladan's hair. She felt uneasy, but she did not know why, there was no apparent reason for her sudden terror.

It was quiet. Way too quiet. The trees had fallen silent around her; the constant calming wind of the night had ceased to waltz along the swaying leaves. There was no sound, not the cracking of a branch, not the cries of a night owl, no nothing, except for the hard pounding of her heart inside her chest, and Elladan's steady breathing. She looked around her, eyes wide and almost expecting to find someone behind her, but there was nobody. She could see nothing but silent trees, fading into the dark shadows of the moonlit forest that seemed to expand infinitely to her sides.

She felt cold, an iced chill embracing her body as the air suddenly seemed haunted. Terror was slowly taking possession of her, the cold, mixed with the fear, causing a sensation she had never felt before, and desperately wanted to escape. She was frozen, petrified, as she felt her heart drumming on her throat.

Elladan blinked suddenly, abruptly waking up from his deep sleep. His eyes quickly turned to look up at her as his body tensed, unmoving. His eyes looked alert, warning, narrowed in concentration as they traveled to the sides, searching through the dark tree trunks.

She felt the blood be drained form her body as she saw a new emotion appear in his vigilant silver eyes: fear. Clear, horrifying fear plagued his eyes, now wide as they returned to meet her own terrified green ones.

She did not utter a sound, his silence setting the example. She would not have been able to speak even if she had wanted to. The most powerful terror she had ever felt swept through her at the sight of his fearful eyes. Something was definitely amiss.

A current of wind ran through the forest, lifting away some of the fallen leaves that laid on the ground and sprawling them to the sides lifelessly. The wind was cold, but a different kind of coldness than any she had ever felt before. This one felt horrifying, like the coldness of thousands of lurking spirits caressing her face and body, making every single drop of warmth disappear. Vilya let out a warning cry, now whispering loudly in her mind.

She trembled, unable to contain herself. Elladan suddenly sat up, his body tensed and his eyes looking intently in the direction in which the wind had come from, watching and listening carefully.

She moved closer to him, feeling safer and more protected the closest she was to his body. Instinctively, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders, but his eyes kept looking from left to right, his senses sharp.

Another haunted, chilled wind followed the first one, this time sending tremors down her spine as she hear a distant, blood curling, high-pitch cry carried faintly in its cold grasp. Elladan jumped to his feet in a heartbeat, quickly pulling her up and grabbing her by the arm.

"We have to go" He breathed out fast in a low whisper as he started to drag her away, moving frantically away form the direction of the wind. Her first thought was orcs that were coming for them in an ambush, but she quickly discarded that possibility. Elladan was scared, probably as much as her, and she knew that orcs did not cause him this kind of fear.

His feet moved agilely through the uneven forest ground as he zigzagged between the trees, dragging her deeper into its darkness. She tripped and stumbled, but his firm grip prevented her from falling or staying behind as he pulled her along, his eyes frantically searching around, as if he did not know where exactly he was going.

The cold wind returned, this time the frightening, haunted cry clearly hearable in the air. A terrified whimper escaped her lips as she felt her heart drum louder inside her chest.

Elladan suddenly turned left, stopping in front of some dark bushes. Without loosening his tight grip on her upper arm, he guided her inside, crawling into the dark shelter created by the thin branches. She felt some branches hit her face scratching her cheeks and arms, but continued forward until she felt Elladan pull her down to the ground.

She sat down, curled in a ball as she pressed herself close to him, desperately seeking to feel protected. He pulled his legs close to his body, and wrapped both of his arms tightly around her. One of his hands flew to her mouth, covering it firmly as his alarmed eyes turned to look into hers, pools of liquid silver silently warning her to remain completely still, completely quiet. She held her breath, her body going completely numb, frozen in cold fear.

And then she heard it. Soft, frightening sounds of horseshoes falling over the leaf-covered ground, slowly approaching, gradually coming closer and closer. The air felt dead around her, a cold grip taking hold of her as she felt as if death itself had come to claim her. Her hand gripped tighter to hem of Elladan's tunic, her nails digging into his skin. He did not move, like a statue made of cold stone as he watched.

The dark silhouette of a black horse slowly became visible through the tight branches of the bush sheltering the two of them. A cold aura surrounded it and she felt blood being drained form her body as a thin layer of cold sweat covered her forehead. She could see the condensing breath of the horse as it took a couple of slow steps closer to them, now standing directly in front of them so that she could see its entire profile.

A mysterious rider sat on he horse's back, its entire form covered in weightless dark cloak, the tenebrous fabric swirling gauntly at a nonexistent wind, ripped and torn at the edges. Pointed, metal boots were the only visible thing that escaped the long black cloak, looking threatening, dangerous as they shone dully under the pale moonlight. A feeble fog seemed to surround the figure, spreading the dreadful sensation of hopelessness and doom that swallowed her soul at the moment.

The rider stopped, along with her heart, and the sudden silence fell heavy upon her, the only sound that reached her ears was the loud, raspy breathing of the cloaked figure. She knew it was nearly impossible for the rider to see them through the thick branches that sheltered them in the darkness. They were safely hidden, but somehow she did not feel safe.

She heard more horseshoes approaching slowly, and seconds later another black horse appeared next to the first, also carrying a frightening black cloaked rider. There were two.

The first one turned its head to the side, in the direction of the bush in which she and Elladan hid. She could see no face beyond the dark hood of the cloak. She could see nothing but a black emptiness. The figure turned its head again, looking at its companion. They seemed to be searching for something.

The silence was maddening. Her heart drummed so hard against her chest that she felt scared the riders would be able to hear it. Vilya continued to whisper loudly in her ears, ringing with high-pitches cries that only added more terror to her frightened mind. Could the riders hear the blue-stoned ring? Could they sense its presence?

Suddenly a sound echoed through the forest, like something moving among the leaves in the distance. Instantly, both of the riders turned their heads in the direction of the sound, another high-pitched haunted cry echoing through the air like the cold edges of a dagger inside her ears. Without a warning, they strode into a run, away from them and in the direction of the sound, the cold, hopeless aura disappearing with them.

Silence fell once again around them as the sound the galloping black horses drifted off in the distance. Neither of them spoke, neither moved. Elerrina felt herself shaking violently, covered in cold sweat while her heart continued to drum widely. Her nails were still digging holes into Elladan's skin as her hand gripped the neckline of his tunic with a force that could nearly rip the fine fabric. She felt pale, ill, as if her blood pressure had dropped to the ground. It felt hard to breathe, and the shapes in front of her eyes seemed to sway in circles.

A sudden wave of nausea hit her and she turned herself to the side, emptying the contents of her stomach. She felt Elladan's quick hands holding her hair back, pulling it out of the way. When she was done, she collapsed against his chest, her frame still shaking violently as he wrapped his arms around her, one hand rubbing circles on her back. She felt him sending her waves of calmness that washed through her body, but they hardly helped. His silver eyes remained lost to the front, still wide and shocked as no words were exchanged; the two of them still shaken from what they had just witnessed.

Finally Elladan moved, slowly crawling out of the bush while he carefully guided her along with him. The forest outside was quiet almost peacefully sleeping as they emerged from their shelter, now standing straight under the heavy canopy. She clung to Elladan's upper arm with both of her hands, her mind telling her that he was her source of protection should something happen.

Her eyes noticed four angry pink scratches on the skin just below his left collarbone, two of them bleeding slightly, marking the places where her four fingers had previously been. He had not seemed to notice it though as he looked attentively around them, making sure they were alone. Her eyes also caught sight of the light blue cloak held on his right hand. So he had picked it up to hide their track.

He turned to face her, his eyes staring deeply into hers, concerned. She let herself drown in the depths of his silver eyes, longing for an escape from her frightened self. Elerrina saw him narrow his eyes a little as they fell on her left cheek. Gentle fingers moved to her cheek as he carefully inspected the small cut that was there, caused by one of the branches in the bush while she rushed in. She had completely forgotten about it.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly as his eyes turned again to look into hers, looking worried. She almost wanted to laugh at the question, but was still too shaken to produce any sort of sound. Slowly, she shook her head from side to side while her hands still clung to his arm.

"What kind of a question is that?" She had meant to snap the words a t him, but her voice came out as a barely audible shaky sound. He sighed, visibly relaxed to hear her speak.

"I am sorry" He said as he rubbed her arm soothingly. "Come, I will clean that cut back at the camp. We need to leave for Imladris as soon as possible." She noticed that a new kind of worry stained his musical voice.

Unable to find her voice again, Elerrina simply nodded her head shakily, and allowed him to guide the way back, walking slowly through the dark forest. She was still clinging to him, seeking to be as close to his body as possible and she could feel him sending waves of calmness in her direction. Her eyes would turn from left to right every two seconds, afraid that they would encounter another of those black-cloaked riders by surprise. She was on the edge of her nerves.

A branch suddenly cracked to her right and Elerrina jumped abruptly. A short high-pitched cry threatened to escape her lips, but she felt Elladan's hand silence it before it was pronounced. She slammed herself against Elladan's body in frightened surprise. He also jumped surprised by her sudden reaction, and she saw his head quickly turn around, searching for the cause.

"It is a squirrel." She heard him whisper softly to her followed by his musical laugh. "It is a squirrel, Rina" One of his hands gently rubbed her back while she sighed in relief, her heart still drumming rapidly.

"I hate squirrels" she whispered in a shaky voice, still not letting go of him. She needed him, needed to hold tight to him, to loose herself in his scent. He chuckled again at her words.

"Since when?" He asked as he tightened her hold on her, pulling her closer in a comforting embrace as more waves of calmness were sent her way.

"Since now" He chuckled again lightly as he shook his head, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. Taking in a calming breath, she loosed her hold on him slightly, allowing him to continue leading them through the forest.

She desperately wanted to be back with the rest of the elves, the number of them making her feel more secure. She could not comprehend why she was so afraid, she did not even know what that dark figure in the horse was. She was only sure of one thing: the riders were dangerous enough for Elladan to be so alarmed.

"Elrohir comes. Do not jump," He whispered to her, and she felt grateful that he was avoiding a surprise.

Not a second after, she saw the figure of the younger twin emerge from the darkness of the forest a couple of steps to their left. His face seemed petrified as his silver eyes looked directly at Elladan, wide, fearful and worried: the same look that Elladan's own eyes had held only seconds ago. He rushed to them in long strides, stopping in front of his twin brother. Somehow she felt safer now in the presence of both twins.

"You saw them?" Asked Elladan in low voice, speaking fast, the words rushed. Silver eyes met silver, locked in a stare that seemed to communicate more than what the words let to know.

"Yes. Two of them. How many did you see?" Elrohir's tone sounded as worried as Elladan's, and she could feel the urgency in their words.

"Two. And I wish to believe they were the same two and not that there are four" Elrohir nodded his head in reply to his twin as his grey eyes turned to look in her direction for the first time. He reached a hand and gently squeezed her arm in a comforting gesture before looking up back to Elladan.

"We need to depart instantly," said Elladan in fast whisper. "If we stay here longer, they will eventually find us. We are too many to be able to hide for the night." She knew he was referring to entire party of elves she had nearly forgotten about.

"We have to alert everyone" was Elrohir's reply and he stood to her other side as they reassumed their fast walk towards the camping place, making her feel secure, standing between the two mirror images.

"Do not worry, Rina. I will not let any squirrel attack you." Elrohir said in playful tone as he mocked her, and at the same time, succeeded in easing some of her fear. She turned to glare at Elladan who acted as though he had not heard anything.

"You told him!" She hissed as her eyes threw him a deathly stare.

"It slipped" he said softly as his excuse. Elerrina only threw him one last glare before turning again to the front. She was still holding tightly to him, and he welcomed her, his eyes turning to look at her every two steps, making sure she was fine.

It did not take them long to reach the place where the rest of the elves had improvised a camping place. No fire burned that night, and she now realized how lucky they had been that nobody decided to start one, for they remained sheltered by the silent darkness.

Glorfindel's head snapped up in their direction from the other side of the camp, his eyes instantly locking with the twin's silver ones. She saw him jump to his feet and walk fast in their direction, meeting them halfway, his soft blue eyes looking wary, alert, as if he knew something was incredibly wrong.

"Wake everyone" Elladan breathed out quickly, his wide eyes looking frantically into Glorfindel's. "We have to go now. There are two of the Nazgul close by, we just ran into them. It will not be long until they find us."

Glordinfel's eyes widened in surprise and she felt some of her fear return. She knew that it would result impossible to hide everyone, counting on the fact that they also had horses to hide.

"What?!" He said as he looked from one twin to the other. The Balrog Slayer quickly turned his head to look at another elf who was standing close to them, ordering with a simple look to do as the twins said. She saw the elf go pale, but quickly ran off, shaking every single elf awake.

"We are more than them, far more. We can try for a run back into the Valley, fight to hold them back if necessary. They will hear us, but perhaps we can outrun them, we are close to Imladris." Said Glorfindel rapidly, and both of the twins nodded in unison.

"Cross the river" Added Glorfindel as his eyes looked intently into the twins silver ones, making sure his words were being understood clearly.

Without another word, the golden haired warrior turned around and took off, rushing through the chaotic mass of elves who were busy jumping onto their horses, ready to depart in the next second. She felt the urgency in the air as every single elf moved with incredible speed, packing up supplies or readying their horses.

Elladan did not waste a second before guiding her through the camp in hurried steps, quickly finding his own horse in the hands of a dark haired elf who seemed to be waiting for him. She did not even look to see if Elrohir had moved or not.

"My Lord" said the elf quickly as he handed the reins to Elladan, bowing his head slightly.

"Thank you" was the reply, and the alert looking elf simply bowed his head lightly once more before rushing away to do something else. She did not fully understand what was happening around her, but there was no time to stop and think.

Elladan turned to face her, his hands grabbing her by the shoulders, giving them an encouraging squeeze as his eyes stared deeply into hers. His silver eyes trapped her in a long gaze as he reached to her, sending her a new kind of strength. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead before gracefully jumping on the back of the horse. Then, in a quick movement, he pulled her up behind him and she secured both of her arms tightly around his middle, pressing her face to his back, burying it in the soft fabric of his cloak.

Not even a second after she was sitting safely behind him, they started for a run. The other elves had already started to depart, horses rushing past them while others still waited for their owners to mount. She could not see clearly in the mess of running elves, could not spot Legolas, could not spot Elrohir. Only a tight group of horses that ran close together indicated where Glorfindel rode carrying the unconscious Elf-Lord in his arms, the elves ready to protect their Lord.

Suddenly a high-pitched cry echoed through the air, brought by a cold, skin crawling wind.

Chapter 34! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think, your comments are more than welcome!

Thank you again to my wonderful reviewers: RunShadowfax, Paperlanterns86, Lizzie, MinNinniach, Glory Bee, SarahWeasley, CeffylGwyn, and Wtiger5.

To my anonymous guest reviewer: I hope this chapter will bring you a little bit of magic while you endure a hard day of work.

Love,

Elena


	35. The Ring Of Air

The wind hit her face like sharp cold blades, tossing her hair widely around her, golden strands slapping aggressively at her cheeks, neck and back as they ran fast through the forest. The trees flew past them in a blur of branches and trunks as they maneuvered around them, trying to stay close to the rest of the party, which had started to separate in the chaos of the run, the narrow distance between the trees making it hard to stay together.

Her heart drummed on her chest, the hard beating matching the strong galloping of the horse as Elerrina tightened her hold on Elladan. She could see some of the elves riding to their sides, the figures like dark blurs that appeared and disappeared from her sight, cut every once in a while by the lean shapes of trees that blocked the view. She could not make out any faces, did not know where Legolas was, where Elrohir was. Even the tight group of elves that closely escorted Glorfindel and the unconscious Elf-Lord had been swallowed in the chaos of branches and leaves.

Elladan was leaning forward on the horse to ride faster, his silver eyes narrowed in concentration as his sharp reflexes guided the horse expertly through the labyrinth of trees, turning from left to right at the precise moment to avoid collision.

The air felt chilled, dangerous, as her body seemed to be guided by instinct instead of mind. The high pitched screech of the black-cloaked rider still echoed in the wind, liberating in her a kind of fear she had never felt before, a fear that seemed to sharpen every single one of her senses, making her feel more alert and awake than ever.

Her eyes kept moving from left to right, scanning the flying forest around them, frantically searching for any signs of the black horses, but every shape around them seemed to fade into infinite blackness. It was hard to make out any figure in their fast run, the galloping of the horses deafening her along with the ringing wind.

Vilya cried loudly inside her head, its whispers rising in volume until it became too difficult to ignore them, calling all of her attention. She desperately tried to escape them, to pull away form the loud cries in the strange tongue she could not understand. The blue stone shone brightly now, glowing in a vivid azure at her neck as it cried and screeched in her ears, the sounds merging with the raging wind, which appeared to speak in return.

Tension hung heavily in the air, as her heart drummed widely with anticipation, with maddening fear, but nothing had yet come. Darkness swirled around them, revealing nothing but the expected trees of the moonlit forest. However, the fact that no rider had yet crossed their path did nothing to calm her altered nerves. Had the riders really not found them yet? Or were they following without their notice?

Another cry echoed in the wild wind, sending cold shiver down her back as her head instantly turned in the direction of the sound. It sounded close, to their left, but her eyes found nothing than the dark trees, which flew by in a blur. Her hands gripped tighter to Elladan's middle, her cheek against the soft fabric of his cloak, her body pressed close to his as if her scared mind believed he carried an invisible shield that could protect her from any harm.

She heard Vilya cry out again, the sound so loud it seemed to ring inside her head with an indescribable force, blurring her vision for a moment as the high-pitched sound bounced inside her skull. She could feel it calling to her, whispering loudly, sending a strange sensation through her body, like a strange tingle running through her veins.

Another iced cry. Her heart paralyzed inside her chest. It sounded so close. Too close. She turned her head to the left, gazing slightly behind her and her eyes caught sight of a dark silhouette moving fast between the passing trees, coming in their direction. Elladan's head also moved quickly to gaze behind and she could see his silver eyes now alert, worried under the deep furrow of his brow.

She could see the feeble fog engulfing the rider as it moved with a ghostly appearance, the torn black cloak floating tenebrously around its figure. She could feel the cold, the hopelessness and emptiness that seemed to radiate from it, like haunted claws traveling in the cold air, grasping her arms, face and hair.

The entire forest seemed to have gone cold, darker than it had been seconds before. Dead leaves floated in the wild wind, sprawling to the sides, as the totality of her surrounding suddenly appeared to be lifeless. The trees had gone silent, like dead trunks of wood that stretched thin and frail towards the black expanse of night.

Elladan turned the horse to the left, jumping over some low bushes, away from the other elves they still had in their sight. He was leading them deeper in to the forest, expertly zigzagging through the trees, making her have to duck her head a couple to times to avoid some low branches.

Elerrina turned her head to glance back once more, only to find the rider following closely behind. It had also turned left. Her body went cold, her heart beating rapidly. The rider seemed to be following them, coming closer and closer.

They kept running fast, the foliage only a chaos around her as her eyes could not make out any of the shapes that flew past her. She knew Elladan was using the forest to their advantage for he knew the territory, maneuvering with perfect exactitude around the thick vegetation. However, the rider never fell behind. She could see it directly behind them now, slightly to their left, its dark, ghostly figure only obscured by the thick branches and tree trunks that squeezed in the way.

Seconds seemed to stretch and she felt as if her senses had accelerated to a point in which everything else appeared to go slow. The rider was almost parallel to them now, the black horse breathing fervently while its condensing breath seemed to threaten her, vanishing in the cold air, which was now heavy with despair and desolation.

Suddenly, a dark figure jumped ahead of them, to their right, making Elladan pull to the reins of the horse abruptly. A muted scream left her lips, her voice never leaving her mouth as the horse suddenly rose on its rear legs for a quick second, almost throwing her down before it sprang into a quick run again, turning sharply to evade collision.

Her already wild heart seemed to accelerate, if that was even possible, as she recognized that it was the second rider what had jumped at them in surprise. Her blood went cold inside her veins, pumping with inexplicable fierce through her body as they continued their despaired run, now flanked by two riders.

They were trapped to left and right, the black, beastly horses pressing close to them, almost touching them now. Cold seemed to emanate from their foggy black figures, the dark cloaks floating weightlessly, swirling like black vapor around their empty bodies. She could feel despair taking possession of her, all of her hopes vanishing as pure, iced fear swallowed her.

Vilya continued to screech, the loud noise ringing in her ears, pushing into her mind and almost blurring her vision again from the noise. She pulled away, her heart drumming insanely as she looked from left to right. She forced her eyes to focus, to think straight, but she could not concentrate on anything other than horrifying terror.

Elladan drew out his sword, holding it securely in his right hand, as he kept his eyes focused on the front. Realization struck her as her eyes caught sight of the silver sharp edges of the long sword, and suddenly she felt all of her security, the invisible protective shield she felt around him, vanish. Somehow she suddenly knew that the sword would be useless; that their only option was to run and escape.

Her fear suddenly disappeared, abruptly replaced by pure instincts and adrenaline.

She knew that Elladan would try his best to protect her, but at the same time she somehow understood that this time he could not protect her, he could not protect even himself. She did not know what the terrifying rider in the black cloak was, but suddenly she realized that this was an enemy Elladan could not fight. No one could protect her now.

Without a warning, Elladan pulled strongly at the reins of the horse, making her tighten her hold around his torso as not to fall off the horse. Their sudden stop had not been foreseen by the riders, who kept running for only a fragment of a second before imitating him. However, that fragment of a second was enough time for Elladan to guide the horse in a sharp turn to the right and spring back into a run, the riders following closely behind, but at least not trapping them now.

A low branch hit her right arm by the elbow, and she felt a sudden pain spread through her it like fire, burning from her shoulder to her fingers. She did not move, did not even flinch as she maintained her tight hold around Elladan.

She felt drops of a thick liquid falling over her arm and her eyes looked up quickly to find three deep red scratches over Elladan's right upper arm, marking the place where the same branch had hit him before hitting her. He had not seemed to notice as she saw him quickly throwing a glance behind at the approaching riders. She knew their advantage over the riders would not last long. They seemed to ride faster, catching up with them easily.

The dark silhouette of one of the riders started to appear in the periphery of her vision, to their left. They were once again flanking their sides, she noticed. Once again riding almost parallel to them, closing the small gap between them and pressing tight to their sides. Elladan's narrowed eyes move quickly from left to right, no doubt searching for a way out, his silver irises filled with transparent despair. There was no way out.

The rider to their left slowly turned its head in their direction and her body seemed to freeze. Her eyes could see nothing but black emptiness beyond the dark cloak; Nothing but a cold, black void, that seemed to suction her entirely, unable to look away.

Every second that passed in the presence of the riders made the cold increase around her, hopelessness swallowing her until she felt weak, as if it could drain life out of her body. She could feel Elladan also weakening through their bond, unable to escape the two nightmarish presences that seemed to trap them both in their cold, lifeless grasp.

Vilya's loud whispers echoed again inside her head, and she could not hear anything else. Every other sound disappeared, the wind hitting silently at her face, the horses mutedly galloping over the cold ground. Nothing reached her ears but the ring's loud cries in the strange tongue, calling to her. It did not want to be found. Could the riders see it? Did they know she carried it?

Suddenly, she caught sight a slight gleam of light in the forest ahead of them, a glittering surface that reflected the pale silver moonlight. Water. The River. It was only some feet away from them, if only they could hold on until then. She did not know why, but she felt that crossing the river was all they needed to do in order to be safe. It had been what Glorfindel had said.

She felt herself shanking now, her strength sucked by the cold, desolate aura of the riders. Elladan was also shaking, although slightly less than her, but she could feel his skin turning ice cold underneath the fine fabric of his tunic. His breathing seemed heavier now, labored against the cold grasp of the haunted air.

One of the riders slowly drew out a long sword, its sharp edges looking threatening under the pale gleam of the moon. Her heart stopped and her blood froze inside her veins. Her eyes seemed to watch petrified as the rider swung the blade in Elladan's direction, but the Son of Elrond was quick to react and a loud noise echoed when his sword met the rider's blade; a loud clash of metal hitting metal.

She felt his body shake with the force of the blow, but quickly readied himself to block yet another attempt from the rider. He was weak, and she knew it. She herself felt weaker by each passing second, a thin layer of cold sweat starting to form on her forehead.

The rider prepared to strike again, but this time she caught sight of the second rider, to their right, also drawing out a long, sharp blade. Her heart sunk to the ground as fear once again rushed through her body. Elladan could not do it. He could not fight both of riders. He moved his sword in a fast movement to block the third blow from the first rider, and she saw in horror the second rider preparing to swing the blade when Elladan was not watching.

Then everything seemed to freeze for a moment as something snapped inside of her. Instinct took over her body, completely abandoning her mind and rational thought.

She did not know what she was doing, or why she was doing it, but suddenly she stopped trying to ignore the Vilya's cries. Instead, she listened to it. She could feel its power flowing through her body as she welcomed the strange whispers into her mind. For the first time, she answered its calling, embracing her connection with it. The ring had already in various occasions broken to her mind, sending her visions, speaking to her. Why not reach to it willingly?

A strange warmth seemed to suddenly spread through her veins, like a burning fire as she felt Vilya's power swirling through her. She heard its loud cry like a hig-pitched ringing noise inside her skull as she felt her whole self suddenly merge with the ring's own mind. And, surprisingly, it felt natural.

The blue stoned ring whispered again, but this time she understood it, even if the words still sounded foreign to her. She could not understand the words, but could understand the message, for it seemed as if the ring's thoughts, were her thoughts, as if they shared one mind. There was no way of knowing if the ring was controlling her, or if she was controlling it. They were the same. She was the ring.

Everything around her suddenly felt different, so confusing. Every sound was gone, and her eyes appeared capable of seeing with an unimaginable precision, able to clearly see each tree trunk in detail as it flew past her with incredible speed.

The riders still flanked their sides, but she could see more than weightless black cloaks now. Beyond the vaporous black fabric, she could see the silvery white ghosts of men. They did not seem to be able to see her, although its faces continued to look in their direction.

The wind hit her face hardly, but it felt different now, it was not aggressive, but welcomed. She felt the wind suddenly seem as a force that gave her strength, speaking to her, dancing around her in a powerful current. It seemed to move at her will.

The second rider swung the sword in quick strong movement while Elladan was still busy blocking the first rider. She heard the loud noise of collision, so loud it seemed to deafen her, but noticed that the dark blade had never touched Elladan. Instead, it had crashed hardly against a strong wall of wild wind, the blade bouncing back with the force of the collision. The rider let out a high-pitched cry that joined Vilya's loud cry as both ghostly white faces turned to look in her direction. Their eyes were empty, like white wholes inside their skull-like faces, staring into her.

Then everything happened so fast she was not sure she could remember the sequence. She saw water splashing around them as the horses suddenly ran over shallow water, the wide river extending to their sides. The ghostly faces were still fixed on her as they reached the middle of the river. She did not know why but she had not expected them to attempt to cross it.

Then a loud noise reached her ears, and she saw a body of water rushing down the river, white shapes appearing and disappearing in it under the pale glow of the moon. She heard it crash on them, without giving them time to think, time to realize. She shut her eyes closed and tightened her hold on Elladan as the high-pitched cry of the riders echoed again through the air while their black figures were hit by the strong wall of water.

Yet, nothing hit her and she opened her eyes once more. She could see water splashing widely around her, blocking her vision, the crashing sound ringing in her ears, but it did not touch them. The wall of water seemed to move around them, blocked by a swirling wind that surrounded the two of them, sending the aggressive body of water flying in every direction as it approached them.

A second after, everything stopped. The water level lowered again as the river suddenly returned to its calmed, steady flow. The riders were gone, washed away by the current. Her strength vanished, Vilya going quiet once again as its presence left her mind, once more separating from her.

Her vision blurred and she felt here body sway slightly. The last thing she remembered seeing was a very familiar white horse standing at the riverbank, Glorfindel siting straight on its back. Lord Elrond sat in front of him, also straight up as his awake, piercing silver eyes stared deeply into hers…

Here is chapter 35! I apologize for the long wait, this week was also a crazy week for me. Please let me know what you think! I really appreciate all of your comments!

Also, again, thank you to all of you who reviewed my latest chapter: luckyponygirl, Coco99, Calaniel, , alexiana75, Oleanne, booklover1498, SarahWeasley, Lizzie, MinNinniach, Zee, Paperlanterns86, Sovereignty3, Glory Bee, and CeffylGwyn. Each of your words mean a lot to me! And I hope you find this chapter as thrilling as the last one!

Love,

Elena


	36. Sanctuary

Darkness covered her vision as her eyes remained hidden under heavy eyelids. Everything seemed so distant Elerrina was not even sure if she was awake or dreaming. Every sound, every smell, all seemed blurred and fuzzy, as she was barely aware of her surroundings, catching only bits and pieces of reality that filtered through the long lapses of empty blackness.

Pain pounding heavily inside her head: that was the only thing Elerrina was sure of feeling at the moment. Splitting pain drummed against the walls of her skull, behind her closed eyes, making everything else seem more confusing as she could not focus completely on anything other than the throbbing pain.

The faint, muffled echo of the slow pace of horses reached her ears, fading in the waves of confusing, incoherent thoughts that danced inside her mind. She could not grasp a concrete thought, and felt disoriented, not knowing where she was or the reason she was there.

Glimpses of the fierce body of water falling around her danced in front of her eyes, followed by the dark trees flying past her; Vilya screaming loudly; Elladan holding a sword. They were unfocused, distorted, and disappearing into darkness as she drifted in and out of unconsciousness.

The distant sound of horseshoes on the soft grass echoes again inside her head, mixing with the images from her unconscious dreams. She was leaning against someone, and could weakly feel the soft pace of a horse underneath her unresponsive body. She could not recognize who rode behind her. She could not even completely feel her body as it felt heavy, exhausted, and so far away from her limbs. She heard a faint moan escape her lips involuntarily, the sound barely reaching her ears.

"You are safe now. We are in Imladris" Came a soft whisper on he left ear, the words dancing inside her confused head in different order than they had been pronounced, and it took her a moment to make sense of them. Imladris…Safe… And then there was the gentle, sweet voice: Legolas.

Elerrina felt herself sink further against her brother's chest as she recognized who was holding her steadily on the back of the horse. Her eyes opened slowly, the bright light on the morning blinding her for a few seconds before cloudy, shapeless forms started to appear in her sight. She felt safe now that she knew she was leaning against Legolas. Legolas? She had been riding with Elladan. Where was he?

The figures around her were clouded, unfocused, but she could make out the foggy shapes of horses and elves, moving slowly around her. She could see Elrohir to her right, holding an unconscious Elladan in front of him. Her tired eyes could also make out the blurry shape of Glorfindel riding some distance ahead of them, the body of the Elf-Lord held limply in his arms, either asleep or unconscious again, she did not know.

She felt her eyelids star to close again, too heavy to keep them open any longer. The peaceful song of nearby waterfalls reached her ears like a soothing lullaby as the pointed arches and balconies of the houses became visible in the distance. She felt her body succumbing to exhaustion, and she did not fight it. She could feel the soothing breeze, smell the scent of humid land and fresh trees; she felt safe in the valley. Her vision turned black, and her senses slowly started to drift off once more. There was no need to stay awake…

Elerrina felt her senses slowly start to return to her. She was lying on a bed, feeling warm and comfortable under soft covers. The gentle music of the swaying leaves outside the windows reached her ears, and she could hear the light footsteps of someone moving around the room. The pain inside her head was now gone, as if it had never been there in the first place.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, shifting lightly under the warm covers of the bed. A familiar room came into view, lighted brightly by the sun outside: She was in her room. The pale lavender curtains had been left open, framing the view of the golden trees outside in the gardens, birds chirping on their delicate branches.

The familiar figure of a platinum haired elf moved around the room in front of her, placing something that looked like sheets on a drawer by the vanity. Elerrina watched silently as the elven maiden closed the drawer and turned around, stopping her movement when her morning sky eyes fell on her own green pair.

"My Lady, you are awake!" Excalimed Faelilla softly as her lips curved in a wide, bright smile. She could not help but smile widely in return at the elf she loved so deeply, and watched as the maiden made her way to stand at the edge of the bed.

"What is the hour?" she asked. She felt slightly confused, and did not know what had happened since her arrival at the valley. Faelilla smiled again before answering in her musical light voice.

"It is late in the morning" Elerrina furrow her brow in confusion and Faelilla's bell-like laugh filled the room before she continued.

"You arrived here early morning two days ago" She felt her eyes widen in response to Faelilla's words. Two days. She had been out for two entire days. Then Faelilla's sweet smile transformed into a grin as her light blue eyes sparkled teasingly.

"Lord Elladan has been here every hour of the past days, since he awoke. Anyone would believe that you have truly captivated him" The platinum haired elf's eyes sparkled below a raised eyebrow, and Elerrina could not help but grin guiltily. Faelilla laughed again, the sweet sound making her feel content.

"Our young lord cares about you deeply, My Lady." Faelilla continued with an honest smile on her face, her teasing grin now gone. "If only you had seen the look on his face while he sat by the bed day and night. Only slightly less than an hour ago, Lady Arwen managed to convince him to go eat some breakfast. He likes you, My Lady"

Elerrina smiled deeply at the platinum haired elf in front of her. The sole mention of the elder twin made her heart fill with longing. She laughed lightly at the irony of the words that had just left Faelilla's mouth. He liked her. If only Faelilla knew…

"I like him too, Faelilla" She said softly, smiling broadly with the hidden meaning inside her words. "I like him very much" The platinum haired maiden only smiled broadly in return, at a complete loss of what the words really meant to her.

"Are you hungry, My Lady?" She asked, changing the subject of the conversation. Elerrina nodded her head softly in response, only now realizing how hungry she was. The thought of eating had not crossed her head yet.

"I will bring you some breakfast" Faelilla said with her smile still on her face as she turned and gracefully moved towards the door.

However, the door opened gently before the platinum haired maiden had reached it. She felt her insides fill with warmth as Elladan's tall figure entered into the room, his long raven hair unbraided and falling freely over his shoulders and back. A gorgeous smile appeared on lips as his silver eyes met hers, and suddenly she no longer had eyes for Faelilla or anything else other than the Son of Elrond, as she watched him rush to her side.

"Rina" he breathed out as he sat on the edge of the bed, gently taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze before letting go and using the same hand to caress her forehead. She remained silent, smiling and lost in his deep eyes as his gentle fingers slowly slid through her hair and his palm came to rest at the side of her face, his thumb softly tracing the end of her left eyebrow.

She heard Faelilla reaching the door, and threw one last look at the maiden, who gave her one last smirk before closing the door behind her. She turned her eyes back to Elladan, who was still smiling widely, and let her hand reach up to rest over his, at her left cheek.

"How do you feel?" he asked softly, the sound of his voice making her smile widen.

"I am good" was her simple answer, her eyes sparkling when his smile turned into a wide grin. Without another word, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

He pulled away and she simply watched him, her eyes not able to depart from his, completely welcomed in his silver endless eyes, her spirit feeling his through their bond. His eyes spoke louder than words, and she felt like she no longer needed words to communicate with him, to know his thoughts, his feelings, as long as he let her. Her eyes traveled down to his left hand, and noticed he was holding what looked like a honey cake.

"What are you hiding there?" she asked as her eyes pointed him in the direction of the cake in his hand. His eyes sparkled with their characteristic mischief and his grin expanded as he lifted the cake into view.

"You stole that from the kitchens?" she asked with a light laugh as her eyes glowed with delight at the sight of the treat.

"Perhaps" he answered, and yet his eyes held the delighted glint of guilt. She opened her mouth, silently asking for a bite of the honey treat, but he pulled the cake away, his silver eyes looking at her as if she had gone insane.

"Can I not have a bite?" she complained, unable to retain a chuckle at the look on his face.

"No" he answered simply, as if it was the most obvious answer, still holding the cake away from her with a stretched arm.

"Elladan! How egoist!" she exclaimed, still chuckling lightly. He simply grinned at her words as if he did not care about the insult.

"So? I worked hard to get this cake, Rina" she glared at his vague excuse, his silver eyes looking at her mischievously, piercing her as they reflected his grin.

"Worked hard?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow "Sneaking into the kitchen and stealing the cake is hard work?" If so, his grin only stretched wider as he leaned his face close to hers.

"You try sneaking into the kitchens" he defended himself in a low whisper, his eyes looking deeply into hers, sparkling, as his lips brushed hers lightly, making shivers run down her spine.

"I would have stolen two. You only got one" she whispered in return, closing the small gap between their lips in a quick kiss. He laughed at her words, accepting his defeat.

"Fine. You can have a bite" he complied, still grinning widely as he gently moved the cake towards her mouth. "Tiny!" he warned before placing the treat right in front of her lips.

Elerrina opened her mouth and took a bite that was everything but tiny, eating off nearly half of the small treat, delighted at the sweet flavor.

"Rina!" came the expected complain, almost making her choke at the sight of his wide eyes and his mouth hanging open in a pout. His silver eyes looked at the half of the cake left in his hand, and then turned again to meet hers, his mouth still lightly hanging open. He looked like a small elfling.

"You can have it all" he said with a sigh as he handed her the remains of the honey cake in defeat, his expression like that of a child who has been asked to give away his favorite toy. She could not help but smile at him, and at the same time feel slightly guilty.

"I am sorry" she said with a light laugh "You still have half of it." She added, trying for it to sound like a small consolation.

Elladan turned his eyes to face her once again, the silver irises staring deeply into hers, lovingly, as he smiled softly, his free hand reaching to rest on her cheek once more.

"You can have the cake, Rina. I will even get you another one, if you want. I stopped wanting it the moment you wanted it" His eyes stared at her, transparent with honesty, and she was sure the look in her eyes held the same loving look than did his. She smiled at him, lost in his eyes, as she happily accepted the remains of the cake.

She then attempted to sit up, but a sudden pain exploded through her right arm the moment she put pressure on it, making her hiss sharply, either in pain or surprise, she did not know. She sank back down into the pillows as her left hand instinctively flew to her right elbow, pressing the bent arm close to her body. For the first time, she noticed that her arm was wrapped in bandages, keeping it bent.

"Easy" said Elladan softly as his hand gently brushed her cheek, his eyes looking pained as he stared at her. Slowly, he helped her up into a sitting position, her left hand still firmly grabbing her right arm.

"Your elbow was dislocated" He explained, his voice edged with sadness and pain, and his eyes were haunted by a gleam of guilt. Flashes of the flight from the riders came back to her mind, and she remembered the sudden pain bursting in her arm when she hit a low branch, but the adrenaline and fear had blocked it away at that moment.

"May I?" He asked softly, and she let go of her arm, allowing him to take a look at the wounded limb.

Gently, he grabbed her arm in his hands, unwrapping the bandage from around it with extreme carefulness. She watched in silence as the slightly swelled and heavily bruised elbow came into view, the pain from before once again dulled down until she could no longer feel it. His fingers traveled over the bruised area, pressing around the elbow with extreme tenderness. She flinched lightly when his light touch came in contact with a sensitive spot and he pulled away, giving her an apologetic smile. He then moved one of his hands to her wrist and gently, slowly, started to stretch her arm from its bent form, his eyes turning to look at her every half a second, waiting for her to indicate him when to stop.

The arm stretched about half of the way before a sting of pain made her gasp. Instantly he stopped and gently bent her arm again, carefully bandaging it back the way it had been previously. After he was done, his hands slid from her arm to her hand, caressing it softly with his thumb before placing a tender kiss on it, his sad eyes looking into hers.

"It is healing well." He said with a sad smile "It will heal quicker than I thought" She nodded her head in response, offering him a reassuring smile.

"Are you in pain?" he asked with a soothing voice, his silver eyes worried.

"No" she answered softly, smiling lightly at him to ease his worry. She did not feel any pain at all. "It does not pain me in the slightest" He nodded his head in response, offering her another sad smile, his eyes still pained and deeply concerned.

"Let me know if it does" he whispered softly as his hand gently placed a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.

"It will not" she said confidently and Elladan smiled widely at her as he shook his head.

"I am sure Adar will want to see the injury as well. Perhaps he can do more" She looked up at him at the mention of the Elf-Lord, many questions popping suddenly into her mind.

"Is he awake?" the image of the Lord of Imladris staring at her from Glorfindel's horse at the other side of the river flashed through her mind. Had the sudden rise of the river been his doing?

"I believe he is asleep at the moment, but yes, he is no longer unconscious, if that is your question" She could see him smiling as he spoke, his eyes glowing with content. She wanted to ask if the Elf-Lord remembered his sons, if he recognized anybody, but did not know how to voice the question. She opened her mouth, but closed it again, unsure to ask for fear of what the answer might be, and obtaining only a chuckle from Elladan.

"He is completely aware of where he is, as well as for the elves who have been to see him. He recognizes all of us without trouble…well I do not think he was sure whether I was Elladan or Elrohir, and did not truly believe us when we told him which was which. He only half-believed it when Glorfindel told him, but that is alright, I accept that margin of error at the moment, he is still recovering"

Elerrina laughed at his explanation. She also would not trust the twins to tell the truth about which twin was which. She saw his eyes sparkling with their natural glow and his smile remained wide on his face, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. She could not help but smile broadly at his joy. She loved him.

"Good thing you allow that margin of error. Who could ever confuse the two of you?" She added sarcastically and he chuckled in return before she continued.

"So, there is no damage from head wound?" She remembered clearly the nasty looking wound over the Elf-Lord's right eyebrow, bruised and covered in dried blood, as well as the disoriented look in his grey eyes as he looked confusedly at his son's face.

"No. It seems he was only confused and not completely awake back in the forest. There is no damage from wound, only a slipping headache" He laughed lightly and she joined in his musical laughter. "I had to whisper incredibly lowly to speak to him. I accidentally raised my voice slightly and he tried to hit me! Can you believe that?!" he added still chuckling.

"Of course I can." She laughed "I would also hit you if I had a headache and you were being loud!" She could not picture Lord Elrond trying to hit his son, and deeply suspected that Elladan had probably received numerous kind requests to lower his voice before receiving a hit.

His sweet laughter echoed in the room in response to her words, and then he simply stared at her. His silver eyes inviting her to free fall into their endless depths, unable to pull away as he smiled softly at her. Then, he leaned in a pressed his lips to her cheek.

"Thank you" He said, his voice now deep and honest, all traces of playfulness gone "I do not completely know what happened out there, but I know part of it was your doing, so thank you"

She simply smiled in return, her mind flowing with images from the run through the forest, new questions bursting into her thoughts. She could feel Vilya still hanging from her neck, now silent and peaceful, and dreaded the conversations that were yet to come. She was not completely sure of what had happened, but was only sure of what thing: she had used the ring, it had responded to her.

Elladan continued to stare into her eyes, and she could see the same questions reflected in his liquid silver irises. Neither of them knew what the consequences of that dark encounter with the riders would bring. Suddenly, the door opened again and the younger twin entered into the room, smiling widely when his eyes met hers.

"Elerrina!" he said as he sat next to his twin at the edge of the bed, his kind eyes looking at her. She smiled at Elrohir in return, he was so easy to like.

"Good to see you awake" He said softly, his grin mirroring that of his elder brother. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked in his sweet, kind voice.

"Good" he said when she nodded her head in response. Then his eyes turned to look at his twin, then back at her, and then back at Elladan.

"Would you like me to leave you alone?" He asked teasingly as he threw a playful look to his twin brother, gaining only a gentle smack on the back of his head.

"No, of course you would not. Elerrina would never want me to leave and leave her to your mercy, right Rina?" She laughed at Elrohir's words, an immense joy growing in her chest at his playful tone, his once again kind eyes, the silent, cold and hard look on them completely disappeared, leaving no traces that it had ever been there.

"Right, Elrohir" she answered smiling widely as Elladan raised an eyebrow at her. However, the younger twin proceeded to speak again before Elladan could add anything.

"Dan, Ada just awoke. Arwen and Glorindel are with him, and they asked me to get you." Elrohir's voice was once again soft and peaceful as his silver eyes looked deeply into an identical pair, both mirror images smiling lightly. Then Elrohir's eyes turned to her as he added, "He would also like to see you, Elerrina"

Here is chapter 36! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think! Sorry for the long wait, but again, this week was crazy with the amount of work.

Thank you deeply again to all of those who reviewed my latest chapter: She Elf of Hidden Lore, SarahWeasley, alexiana75, Hirilnin, Glory Bee, , Paperlanterns86, Lizzie, booklover1498, MinNinniach, Coco99, Mercedes216, TheRegularOne, and CeffylGwyn. Thank you for all of your comments!

Love,

Elena


	37. Change In The Wind

Nerves wracked her body as she silently followed the twins around the labyrinth of hallways and pointed arches of the house. For the first time, the house did not seem big enough for their walk to stretch a little longer. Every step she took came too soon after the previous one, leading her to the moment she had been dreading.

Both of the twins were smiling, their silver eyes sparkling with light as they walked to see their father, Elladan holding her hand in his. She felt him gently give her hand a comforting squeeze, and she knew that he could feel her nervousness and hesitation. There were so many things to discuss, so many unanswered questions…

Images of the Elf-Lord dragging her through the long corridors, a sword in hand as the nasty creatures jumped at them from left and right kept flashing through her mind. She saw the dark room, remembered stumbling on pieces of furniture; the piercing silver eyes looking intently into hers as slender fingers handed her the blue-stoned ring; the sad, pained look on the Elf-Lords face as he foresaw the purpose and outcome of the sudden attack; the instructions to search in the drawer that contained the letters that revealed her true inheritance…

The twins led her up an elegant staircase, the golden light tracing defined lines through the air as the rays of the sun entered freely through the tall windows. The details on the windowpane laced fine, delicate shades on the floors as they ascended to parts of the house in which she had never been before, but she was not really aware of her surroundings.

He had known all along. Lord Elrond had known who she was, had known her name was really Almarëa, ever since the moment she stepped into the house that first night she arrived. What else did he know about her? Part of her wanted to find out the truth; find about the parts of the story that had been left out of the letters; find out the reasons why she had been left to become Elerrina; the reasons why her own father chose to hide her behind that surreal identity. And yet, part of her was scared to hear the truth. One again, she felt as if her life had been a lie as both Elerrina and Alamarëa felt unreal to her, strangers she had never met: both were her names, but neither was who she had really been.

And then, there was still the ring, Vilya, hanging from the thin silver chain around her neck, the faint blue glow dancing dully inside the bright blue stone as its low murmurs twirled in the breeze. She remembered feeling the ring nearly possessing her, her mind joining with it until she felt they were the same, its power flowing through her veins like a burning fire, and she did not know what was happening, why was it happening, or how was it happening…but it felt natural, unforced…

Her trail of thought was suddenly cut when the twins stopped their march in front of a large, exquisitely carved wooden door, and she felt her heart accelerate with nerves and hesitation as she realized where they were. She did not know why, but she had expected to go to the familiar study, and now realized that the twins had been leading her to the Elf-Lord's private chambers. Elrohir softly opened the door and stepped into the room, looking incredibly comfortable and confident in the familiar surroundings. Elladan followed closely behind, almost dragging her by the hand, as he too felt more than comfortable in that space. Elerrina felt like an elfling who was about to invade the room for the grown-ups as she stepped inside the chamber, close beside Elladan.

Bright light washed the elegant interiors of the large room, dancing through the golden leaves of the trees outside the overly large balcony at the far north face. Suddenly every other chamber she had ever seen seemed small and plain, as she herself felt small under the delicate, thin columns that stretched to support the pointed arches of the structure, seeming to float, too frail to support any weight. The chamber itself carried an aura of peace as the silvery blue shade of the heavy curtains mixed with the tranquil heavens outside.

Lord Elrond lay on the large bed in the center of the room, resting back on several pillows placed against the finely crafted headboard. He looked so different outside of his formal robes, his long dark hair cascading freely over his shoulders and back, framing the defined features of a face so similar to the twins. He was wearing a clean, sleeping white tunic in the finest and lightest silk she had ever seen, the delicate silver patterns on the neckline matching the silvery blue color of the soft bed covers that were pulled up to his waist.

And yet, she could still feel the powerful, regal aura that seemed to surround him, as he appeared every inch the mighty Elf-Lord he was. A white bandage covered the head wound on the space between his right eyebrow and hairline, and his right arm was completely bandaged in a bent position, securely resting over his torso.

Arwen sat at the edge of the bed with a joyful smile on her lips as her sweet, song-like voice narrated soft words in elvish. The Elf-Lord's kind eyes were fixed on his daughter as she spoke, his grey irises glowing with love and pride, a soft smile on his lips. She recognized the healer, Slemear who stood behind the elven Lady, his fingers placed around the Elf-Lord's left wrist, checking his pulse. Another blond elf she had never seen moved around the room, mixing some herbs in a steaming mug.

The Elf-Lord's eyes turned in their direction when he heard them enter, first looking at each one of his sons before the silver gaze turned in her direction. Wise silver eyes pierced deeply into her green ones, almost as if he could look past her eyes and directly into her soul, her mind, her very self. The stare was unreadable, simply endless pools of silver that absorbed her with the knowledge of many millennia. She wanted to look away, but could not move as she silently stared back, frozen. She felt as if she was once again on the elegant study on the first night she had seen Vilya upon his hand.

However, the piercing stare only lasted a second before his eyes softened again, his face the perfectly composed expression that betrayed no thought past his kind grey eyes. The soft smile was still present on his lips as his eyes once again travelled to the twins, looking from one to the other.

"Good morning, my sons, Elerrina" His silver eyes moved from each of the twins to her as he greeted them with a smile. As his eyes fell on hers she felt once again trapped in the piercing stare.

"Good morning to you too, Ada" the twins said in unison.

Both of the twins were grinning widely and she simply smiled in return and slightly nodded her head. She felt incredibly unsure of how to act, of what to do or say as she felt she was invading a private family reunion.

With his characteristic mischievous grin on his face, Elrohir made his way towards the bed, comfortably throwing himself next to his father and leaning against the fine headboard as he stretched his legs over the silvery blue covers.

"Everything seems fine, My Lord. Is there anything else we can do for you?" Selemar's voice echoed inside the room as his skilled fingers let go of the Elf-Lord's left wrist. The Lord of Imladris turned his gaze towards the blond healer, seeming to suddenly remember his presence in the room.

"Thank you, Selemar" Lord Elrond replied politely in his kind voice as he nodded his head slightly in the direction of the blond elf. The other healer gently placed the steaming mug on the elegant bedside table before coming to stand beside the master healer.

"Let me know if you feel any discomfort, My Lord" Said Selemar as both bold elves made a small bow before heading towards the door. The soft clicking sound of the door closing behind the two healers echoed loudly in her ears, trapping her in the long wait for the conversations she knew were soon to come.

She let her eyes travel around the room and she spotted Glorfindel, sitting comfortably on an elegant chair to one corner of the room, not really involved in the scene and at the same time, his soft blue eyes carefully assessed everything, always watching over his lord and friend. She also recognized the Elf-Lord's chief advisor, Erestor, sitting next to Glorfindel.

She felt a new feeling of heavy sadness sink her heart as her eyes fell on a delicately crafted vanity. The large mirror echoed the golden light through the room, shimmering with the reflection of the various pieces of jewelry that lay upon the polished wooden surface. She could see small sapphires, emeralds and pearls sewn in delicate silver chains of necklaces and bracelets upon the blue velvet interiors of an open silver jewelry box, some even partially hanging from its sides.

A beautiful silver hairpin rested alone in the center of the table, the pearl in its end glowing dully at the bright light, casting strange shapes upon the delicate silver petals that opened in the shape of a flower around it. Everything looked untouched, rooted to tis place as if the cruel passing of time had made the items a part of the vanity; the beautiful pieces of jewelry looking as if they had remained in the same place where some hand had long ago forgotten them.

"My sons?" she heard Elrohir asking with a teasing voice as her eyes turned once again towards the bed, where the younger twin raised a questioning eyebrow to his father, his eyes sparkling with mischief and mockery. "Do you still not know which of your sons I am?"

Elladan walked towards the bed and she followed him, standing behind him as he sat at the edge of the soft mattress, at the opposite side from Arwen.

"Are you testing me, Elrohir?" Said Elrond as he looked directly into the younger twin's eyes, a victorious smile present on his lips. Elrohir's mischievous eyes suddenly widened in surprise and Arwen's laugh echoed inside the chamber. Elerrina could not help but smile broadly at the peaceful and joyful aura that floated in the air.

"Has your eyesight already cleared completely?" Asked Elladan in a soft voice as he smiled widely at the Elf-Lord.

"Yes." came Lord Elrond's answer, his eyes turning from his youngest to his eldest son. "And even if it had not, Elerrina, here, would have given you away." Both of the twins laughed lightly at the statement, the sound like the sweetest melody she had ever heard.

"Of course it would. Elladan would the one with the love struck face of a century old elfling." Added Elrorhir as his mocking silver eyes turned to look at his twin, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Besides, Elladan would be the one to have the courtesy of sitting on the bed and not comfortably getting in the bed like a century old elfling." Replied Lord Elrond as he turned to look at the younger twin with a raised eyebrow.

The words made Elladan explode in laughter as he stared at his brother with a victorious expression. She could not help but laugh along as Elrohir's eyes widened and his mouth opened in fake hurt. A smile grew wide on her lips at the normalcy of the scene, almost as if it were any regular day in the Valley.

"How do you feel, Ada?" asked Elrohir as his laughter died out and his voice returned to a soft gentle tone, almost a whisper. His large, concerned eyes turned to his father once more as Arwen tenderly took hold of his now freed left hand. Elerrina simply stood still, watching in silence as she once again felt she was invading some private family reunion.

"I feel fine, my son, worry not" Answered the Elf-Lord with a reassuring smile in the direction f the younger twin. Elrohir smiled in return although his eyes still looked at his father slightly concerned, and suddenly she had the impression that the Lord of Imladris would not admit to be feeling anything other than fine. She also noticed that Elrohir had remained perfectly still on the bed the entire time, as if he felt that moving round might disturb the elder elf.

"How is your head? Are you in pain?" Elladan's voice was also soft, filled with tenderness and concern as his endless silver eyes looked deeply at his father, so gentle and hinted with the lightest touch of sadness.

"No, Elladan" Came the Elf-Lord's reply and Elladan simply nodded his head lightly.

"I have some matters to attend now, Ada. I will come back later" said Arwen as she leaned forward a placed a light kiss on the Elf-Lord's forehead. Then, she rose from the bed a kissed each of the twins' cheeks before making her way towards the door, closing it behind her.

"Ada" Elladan's voice broke the silence that followed the soft clicking of the door as it close. His eyes were looking at his father intently, yet softly, the small smile on his face vanishing as he spoke. "What happened?"

Elrohir's eyes also turned to look at the Elf-Lord, the expression on his face an exact copy of that of his twin's. Lord Elrond's eyes turned to look in her direction, staring deeply at her, consuming her in their piercing yet kind gaze. She remained frozen under the intense stare, unable to move as her presence in the room seemed to be remembered.

"Thank you" he said in a low, clear voice, his eyes seeming to penetrate into her soul as the silver pair of wise eyes spoke the deepness of those two short words. She remained silent, unable to look away from the deep stare and simply nodded her head in return, unable to think of anything to say or do. She wished she could force her body to answer, even if only out of politeness, but could not succeed to do so.

Out the corner of her eyes, she could see Glorfindel staring attentively at the scene from afar, but she could not look away from the piercing gaze. There were so many things she wanted to ask, so many questions that she had previously prepared inside her mind, but no words were be able to come to her under the deep stare. She could see his eyes filled with knowledge, and at the same time did not let anything into view, did not betray any emotion or thought. So deep and transparent, filled with kindness, and yet as hard as wall, impossible to penetrate.

"Please sit down, Elerrina. There is no need for you remain standing" he said softly as he gestured to the empty place on the bed next to Elladan, where she was currently standing. Silently and hesitantly she sat down on over the soft covers and Elladan reached for her hand, gently giving it a squeeze.

Without being asked, she reached for the silver chain around her neck, untying it at the back and holding it her hands. She did not want to hold the ring for a second longer, did not want that responsibility. All the eyes in the room turned to look at the chain as the delicate golden band with the deep blue stone suddenly became visible. Vilya hung lifelessly from the chain, its usual glow completely vanishing as it waited to be once again joined with its master.

Lord Elrond's eyes turned to look at her, staring at her for a second before he extended his hand, silently receiving the ring from her stretched hand. She followed his hand as he slipped the exquisite jewel on his right hand's third finger. The golden band slipped in in a perfect fit, the ring instantly bursting into life, dimly glowing in a bright blue color, more powerful and alive than when she had held it.

She was surprised when she did not feel any different after parting from the ring. She did not know why, but she had half expected to feel a difference. And yet, she felt exactly the same, as if she had handed a regular jewelry item, and not the powerful blue-stoned ring.

"I owe you an apology, for leaving you such a burden without any warning" The Elf-Lord's eyes continued to pierce into hers as she simply shook her head, indicating that no apologies were needed.

"Where they looking for the ring, Ada?" Elrohir's voice made his father turn to look in his direction. "Where the orcs looking for the ring?"

"Yes, they were"

"But they came specifically to capture you. How did they know you have it?" Elladan pointed out in a whispered tone as the other two pairs of grey eyes turned in his direction.

"They did not" came the short reply. "I believe it was a guess, a test for which they needed confirmation." Both of the twins narrowed their eyes in confusion, all of them trying to put the pieces of the story together.

"And they got what they were looking for" The Elf-Lord's eyes turned once again to look at her, deep silver eyes staring deeply into hers.

"The Nazgul now think you have one of the rings"

The words echoed in the air like a death sentence, as she silently stared back, frozen. A sudden chill ran down her spine and, even though the air was warm, she felt cold. She saw Elladan close his eyes and a sudden expression of pain flashed his face, as if those were the words he had been dreading to hear. Elerrina, on the other hand, stayed still, as petrified as before as her fate suddenly seemed sealed, and she could not control it.

"You have remained too quiet, Elerrina. I know you have questions you whish to ask me." The Elf-Lord spoke softly as his silver eyes looked at her kindly, almost silently apologizing to her. The expression on his face was gentle, like that of a father who wishes to give council to his child, as he suddenly did not appear the mighty elven ruler he was.

"I do, My Lord" She was surprised that her voice sounded steady as she stared back into the wise grey eyes, unable to look away. Lord Elrond nodded his head in her direction, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Then, ask. I owe you all the answers I can provide"

Here is chapter 37! I hope you all enjoy reading it! And please let me know what you think!

Also, I hope all of you who are in the U.S. East Coast are safe and have not suffered from any damages caused by hurricane Sandy.

Once again, thank you immensely to all of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Sovereignty3, Glory Bee, She Elf of Hidden Lore, Lizzie, Paperlanterns86, luckyponygirl, Coco99, booklover1498, TheRegularOne, MinNinniach and CeffylGwyn.

Love,

Elena


	38. Every Passing Second

The words floated in the air as Elerrina remained still for some seconds. So many questions flew through her mind she did not know where to start. The deep grey gaze of the Elf-Lord was fixed on her, piercing into her own green eyes, waiting patiently. The twins had gone silent, exchanging looks every once in a while, their silver eyes seeming to speak without words.

"Who am I?" The words left her mouth in a steady, low voice, feeling strange to her, as if the body that pronounced them was detached from her. Lord Elrond's eyes never broke form hers, not even blinked as the question reached his ears.

"You read the letters" He said with a sigh, the words not a question but a statement. Elerrina silently nodded her head in confirmation as deep grey eyes remained fixed on hers.

"I can tell you what I know, but the only one who has the answer to that question is you." The Elf-Lord's grey eyes seemed to trap her, the soft words engraved in the endless orbs as they emphasized what was being spoken. She felt small, a child again, under the wise gaze.

Then everything around her seemed to vanish, as she felt as if she was falling into the depths of the stormy sea eyes, dragged into them with a force she could escape, but she did not try to. The room around her, the twins, Glorfindel, Erestor, disappeared as a new set of images materialized in front of her.

_The bright afternoon light filled the elegant interiors of the familiar study. A vivid fire danced in the fireplace, its hot red flames contrasting against the pure white snow that covered the gardens outside the closed windowpanes. Lord Elrond sat by the fire, looking as regal as ever in rich blue formal robes, his gaze lost in the dancing flames. _

_Another figure waltzed into the room, a Lady. Flowing silver hair framed the beautiful features of her face, cascading down to her waist in gentle waves. A delicate silver band crowned her head, thin silver strands falling from its sides, lacing with some locks of her long hair. Elerrina was sure she had never seen an elf more beautiful in her life. Her weightless white dress swirled around her graceful steps as she approached the Elf-Lord, who seemed oblivious to her presence. _

"_Meleth?" the Lady said softly, the voice sounding like a sweet song that floated gently in the air. _

_The Elf-Lord suddenly looked up, his eyes finding the Lady's ice blue ones as a soft smile appeared on his lips. He stood up from the comfortable chair and placed a soft kiss upon the Lady's cheek before walking back to the large oak desk. _

"_What is on your mind?" asked the Lady as The Lord of Imladris leaned over the desk, his back to her. _

"_A letter arrived from Mirkwood. Thranduil has a new daughter. They named her Almarëa." He said as he turned around to face the beautiful Lady once more, a soft smile on his face. _

"_That is wonderful!" came the reply from the Lady as she circled her arms around him, her eyes looking up to his. "Did you send the silver rattle I picked?" _

"_I did" he said with a light chuckle as he also wrapped his arms around the Lady's small body. "He sends his thanks. It seems the baby loves it already."_

_A gorgeous smile illuminated the Lady's face for a moment before it disappeared as her soft ice blue eyes stared into the Elf-Lord's grey pair. _

"_What worries you?" she asked in a low voice and Lord Elrond sighed before answering. _

"_There is something about the elfling, I just do not know what it is. There is some sort of powerful magic about her. I fear it cannot end well." The Lady tilted her head to the side as she stared back at the dark haired elf, her eyes slightly hinted with confusion. _

"_Thranduil himself possesses old powerful magic in him, Meleth. It should not be surprising that one of his children has inherited such qualities." She said, as if she did not really understand the reason to worry. _

"_I know." Said the Elf-Lord as he flashed a gentle smile in her direction. "But it is not the same magic that this child carries. It is not old elven magic, not the kind that Thranduil possesses." The Lady's eyes narrowed further in confusion as a worried expression crossed her face_

" _How do you know? Can you sense her powers, Elrond?" The Lord of Imladris closed his eyes for a moment as a sad expression haunted his ageless face. When he opened them again they were darker, holding the slightest touch of dread. _

"_No. But Vilya can." _

The images shifted as the figures vanished into thin air.

_The elegant study looked darker now as night stretched above the sleeping trees outside, its leaf covered branches swaying faintly at the soft breeze. A dying fire lighted the room, its weak flames making the shadows stretch long and thin over every surface. It must have been late. _

"_So it is Thranduil's intention to hide the elfling here in the Valley?"_

_Glorfindel's strong voice echoed around the dimly lit study. Lord Elrond's eyes traveled to meet the soft blue gaze of his Seneschal just as Erestor sighed and placed the parchment holding the message back on the table at which the three elves sat. _

"_That is our accord, yes" Said the Elf-Lord absently, his voice as commanding as ever, but his eyes seemed lost in his thoughts. The other two elves remained silent, patiently staring at their lord. _

_Letting out a sigh, Lord Elrond tiredly rose from his chair and slowly walked towards the large balcony overlooking the Valley below. Slender fingers gripped the delicate railing as he leaned heavily on it, head bent down. For a moment he stood deathly still under the dark blue sky, hunched above his sleeping realm. _

_Glorfindel was the first to follow, silently walking to stand next to the tall Elf-Lord, who did not look up to meet his eyes, Erestor close behind him. _

"_My Lord?" asked the golden haired warrior in a calmed voice as his soft blue eyes pierced the Half-Elf, watchful. _

"_The nine have left Mordor. They roam around the lands, searching for the rings. Sauron slowly becomes stronger; the eye is fixed on Imladris. He wants the three, Glorfindel" Silver eyes lifted to meet a soft blue pair, locking in a prolonged stare. _

"_Times are difficult in Mirkwood. The number of orcs wondering in the forest increases with each day. There is no assurance of the girl's safety in those lands." Lord Elrond spoke lowly, his deep grey eyes still locked with Glorfindel's. _

"_The girl is a threat" Added the Balrog Slayer as his eyes burned into the Elf-Lord's, almost angrily. "The power she carries is dangerous, Elrond. You worry that Vilya can sense the girl, what makes you think that bringing her closer to the ring is safe? We do not know if she can sense the ring in the same way the ring can her" _

"_It is not safe." Erestor said from behind Glrofindel as his deep blue eyes darted from his lord to the Balrog Slayer. "But it is safer than if the child remains in Mirkwood. If Vilya can sense the girl, what makes us think the other rings cannot? If Sauron is looking for the three then he will look in elven lands, what if he finds the girl? Such a strong power is hard to overlook without sensing it." _

"_But what if she gives you away? We do not know why is it that Vilya can sense the elfling, but if she can indeed connect to the ring she could fall into the eye's view. She could be seen. You could be seen." Argued Glorfindel in return, his eyes digging holes into the Elf-Lord's silver ones. _

"_We do not know if she can sense the ring." Stated Lord Elrond sternly, his eyes defiant, his voice carrying a power and command that very few would dare to argue against. "I can hide the girl in Imladris. The eye cannot see into the Valley, not with the power of Vilya protecting it. It is a risk, but it is less of a risk than the youngling staying in her lands." _

"_The girl is dangerous" muttered Glrofindel, his eyes wary. _

"_She is only an elfling" breathed the Elf-Lord, his deep silver eyes pained, compassionate as he looked back at his Seneschal. _

"_I still believe it is dangerous, Elrond. The girl cannot stay here." Silver eyes turned sharply towards the golden haired warrior, powerful and mighty._

"_I was under the impression that Elrond Half-Elven was the Lord of this Valley, and not Glorfindel." He said in a commanding voice as he rose tall, meeting the Balrog Slayer at eye level, looking every inch the mighty elven ruler he was. A moment of tension passed between the two while silver and blue eyes burned into each other. _

"_I apologize, My Lord. It seems I forgot my place" Said finally Glorfindel as he bowed deeply in front of the Elf-Lord, his voice cold. Then he straightened back up and silently left the room, uninterested in hearing the rest of the argument. _

_The door closed loudly behind the Balrog Slayer and Lord Elrond let out a tired sigh as he leaned heavily once again over the railing, eyes looking down. Erestor remained still, his body facing towards the Elf-Lord as he silently watched for a moment. _

"_My Lord?" Erestor's soft voice echoed loudly in the tranquility of the night as the Lord of Imladris lifted his eyes to meet his Chief Advisor. "What has made Thranduil suddenly fear for the child's safety? There is no way for him to know the ring can sense the child's powers. He does not know you were entrusted one of the three. And yet, he knows the child's magic is far different from his. Surely something must have happened that has made him realize this?" _

Before she could hear the answer, the images vanished; the peaceful night lit balcony morphing into an ample terrace.

_The silver haired Lady sat on a long couch with her feet tucked beneath her. Elerrina could see her back as the Lady stared off into the blossomed gardens before her. The familiar silver pin with a pearl at its end held back a strand of long hair, almost seeming to merge in the silvery color of her locks. _

"_Almarëa lives" Lord Elrond's voice made the Lady turn her head around to look at her husband. Her large ice blue eyes, so much like Arwen's, were now dulled with grief. The Lady silently nodded her head and her sad eyes followed the Elf-Lord as he sat down next to her. _

"_Will you tell Thranduil?" She asked in a barely audible voice as her eyes easily found Lord Elrond's. _

"_I cannot tell him without revealing that I bear one of the rings" Once again, the Lady nodded her head before directing her gaze back at the gardens ahead. _

"_Do you know where she is?" _

"_No" Was the short answer. The Lady simply moved closer to the Elf-Lord, leaning her head on his shoulder as her long strands of silver hair cascaded over his opaque violet robes. _

The figures shifted once again as the scene transformed into a different time and space.

_The veil of night covered the sky above the tall branches of the trees. She could see many tiny houses spread over the landscape in a disarranged manner, the tiny windows shimmering with the yellowish light of fires inside. It was the village in which she had grown up; she would recognize such view anywhere. _

_A lone figure walked silently between the houses, the pale moonlight caressing the long dark cloak, embroidered in thin silver thread at the bottom. She could not see the figure's face, and yet, she already knew who it was. _

_The tall figure stopped in front of a small wooden door so familiar to her and softly knocked. A swirl of emotions ran through her distant body as the door opened to reveal the familiar, warm face of a woman. Naeraviel's dark brown eyes widened suddenly as they fell on the regal hooded figure that stood in front of her and Elerrina could see recognition written in those large dark irises. _

_She wished she could speak, wished she could say one last word to the woman who stood in front of her, and yet, knew that it was simply a memory, that Naeraviel was not really there, and that she could not see her. _

_Her adoptive mother stepped aside, opening the door wider to allow the visitor to enter the humble piece. The incredibly familiar and cozy room appeared into view before her eyes, the warm flames of a fire lighting the interiors in various shades of oranges and yellows. The figure stopped for a moment once inside the room, the head turned in the direction of the small, round table at one corner of the room, the dark cloak still hiding every face feature. _

_And then, she saw herself. She was young. Her golden hair fell loosely around her face, and in her human-styled dress she could easily be mistaken for a seven or eight-year-old human child. She was standing still, her large, innocent green eyes staring at the strange visitor that now stood inside her home, her tiny hands placed over a large book over the table. Naeraviel closed the door behind the visitor as she turned around and directed her attention to the young elfling standing before her. _

"_Elerrina, go upstairs. I will go read you a story in a while." _

_The golden haired elfling nodded her head in silence before grabbing the book with both of her tiny hands and obediently heading towards the small stairs that lead to the second story. Before disappearing from view, the elfling turned her head one last time, her eyes regarding the tall cloaked figure for a second before her light footsteps reached the top of the stairs, gone from the room. _

_The two occupants were now left alone in the small warm room, silent for a moment until the faint, distant sound of a door closing in the upper floor echoed through the house. _

"_My Lord Elrond" said Naeraviel with a gentle bow as she respectfully greeted her guest in the proper manner. "Please make yourself comfortable" _

_The tall figure reached his hands to the hood of the long cloak, revealing the fine features of his pale face. His long dark hair was neatly braided and the formal silver circlet shone resting atop his head. He looked even more regal now in contrast to the humble woman that occupied the room. _

_The Elf-Lord nodded his head politely at the woman as his wise grey eyes looked at her kindly. Then, he made his way towards the small table and sat down on one of the plain chairs, indicating with a hand for Naeraviel to take the seat across from him. Silently, the woman did as indicated, looking slightly nervous and intimidated in the presence of the well-known elven lord. And yet, Elerrina knew that such a presence was not new to Naeraviel. She had immediately recognized the Elf-Lord at her door. She had met him before. _

"_Can I offer you anything, My Lord? Tea? Water?" she asked in a nervous voice and the Elf-Lord simply smiled softly in return, easing some of the woman's nerves. _

"_Tea would be fine" He said in a polite, calmed voice as his kind grey eyes looked at the woman patiently. _

_Naeraviel disappeared into the small kitchen, and some minutes later returned holding two identical steaming cups in her hands. Carefully, she placed one on the table in front of the elven lord and kept the other firmly in her hand as she lowered herself to her seat. _

"_Have you come to take her from me?" Her voice broke the silence, whispered, filled with fear as her eyes stared at the Elf-Lord, pleading. _

"_No" was the reassuring answer as the Lord of Rivendell shook his head slightly. Naeraviel seemed to relax a bit at the short word she had been expecting to hear. _

"_I know who she is, My Lord." Added Naeraviel in a low voice "The Elven King himself came some months ago. He said not to reveal her identity, to her or to anyone. He wanted for her to pass for a human child at the eyes of strangers. Why is that, My Lord?" _

"_The king has his reasons" explained the Elf-Lord, expertly evading the question. Naeraviel simply nodded her head as slight look of embarrassment crossed her face, feeling that she had questioned more than she should have. _

"_I agreed to his petition of hiding the child. He asked me to keep her away from her kin, to not waken her curiosity and desire to know about her bloodline." _

"_Good" said Lord Elrond with a gentle nod of his head. "That is precisely what I came to ask as well. The child is blessed in ways that I cannot share with you. You can give her the childhood that she would probably have otherwise been deprived of. We thought she was dead, and it will be best for it to remain that way."_

"_But what will happen once she is grown? The king agreed for the girl to stay with me until she was grown. Will he take her from me then? I know I am not her mother, and I know that she has a living family, but please do not take her from me, My Lord. I raised her as my own, I love her as my own." Naeraviel's desperate plea made her heart fill with grief. What would she give to see the woman one last time. The Elf-Lord closed his eyes for a moment as a sad expression appeared on his face. _

"_I know you do, Naeraviel. We will see when the time comes" Was the simple answer, but it was not enough to calm the saddened woman. _

"_I know he will take her from me." She whispered in an almost broken voice as her eyes looked down at the table. "I know he does not want to give her away. I saw it on his eyes when he saw her. I was scared he might change his mind at that moment and take her with him immediately, robbing me of the few years left of her childhood." _

"_It will be more than a few years. Elves reach their majority later than men." Said Lord Elrond reassuringly at the woman in front of him. "Did Thranduil see his daughter, then?" _

"_Yes" answered Naeraviel as he large brown eyes turned back up to meet the Elf-Lord's kind silver gaze. "She was asleep, so he agreed to see her. He did not want her to see him." Lord Elrond simply nodded his head in return as the woman's eyes fell once again on the table. _

"_Naeraviel" started the Elf-Lord again, his eyes staring deeply into the woman's. "Rivendell is only at a three day distance from here, as I am sure you know. Elves often travel these woods in their journeys from a to other realms. I shall not send any party or patrol close to this area, but I have no reason to indicate thus to elves from other realms. They do not know of the child's existence and it should remain that way for the moment. Do not let her wonder beyond the river. I can guarantee that no elf will run her path if she stays on this side of the river. Also, the river marks the limit of my power's reach. I cannot protect her if she goes beyond it. You and I both know that this village is not under my rule, and thus it is not up to me to intervene in any matter, good or bad, that befalls it. But the elfling is a separate case. I can only protect her if she stays inside the borders of my reach." _

Then, as quickly as they had appeared, the figures faded into complete darkness, the last words of the Elf-Lord still echoing faintly inside her mind as the brightly lit bedchamber returned to her view.

Elerrina was once again inside her own body, sitting still over the silvery blue covers of the large bed. Elladan sat at her side, his presence next to her making her feel at peace. Elrohir remained stretched on the bed, his eyes glued to his father.

So many things raced through her mind that she could not grab a concrete thought. So many parts of the story had been put into place. So many arrangements, her life perfectly choreographed. And yet, so many new questions, so many new things she wanted to know. So many things had been done to hide her, but what would happen now? She was no longer hiding. Her identity had been revealed. And lastly, the Nazgul thought she had the ring.

Lord Elrond lay still on the bed, exactly as he had before the visions of his memories had invaded her mind. His kind silver eyes were fixed on hers, staring deeply into her green ones, and, for the first time, he did not seem as an Elf-Lord she had only recently met. He had known her almost all of her life. He had watched out for her from afar. And yet, there was something different in the depths of the stormy grey eyes, something that only appeared after his memories had been shared with her. She did not know what it was, a strange mixture of pain and sadness with worry and dread. A new feeling took hold of her as she suddenly understood in the depths of the silver gaze that things would not be the same for her.

Here I leave you chapter 38! I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think! I know there are still many questions left to answer but be patient, they will be answered in time!

Thank you to my reviewers from last chapter: TheRegularOne, mazzmataz, Paperlanterns86, MinNinniach, booklover1498 and CeffylGwyn.

Love,

Elena


	39. To Love A Brother

"What were the Nazgul doing so close to Imladris?"

Elladan was the first to break the silence that had fallen inside the large bedchamber, his voice echoing loud in the still air. Every pair of eyes turned in his direction, and she could see in their eyes the same question that the elder twin had voiced. Her mind was suddenly brought back to reality, although part of her thoughts still remained lost on the images that had just crossed her mind.

"They should not have been there" Glorindel's voice made her suddenly remember his presence in the room. The golden haired warrior stood from the chair in the corner of the room and slowly walked to stand behind Elrohir.

"It is impossible to tell where the nine might wonder, but I do agree they should not have been there."

Lord Elrond's eyes turned to meet his Seneschal's wary blue ones as he spoke. Vilya whispered dully upon his hand, the faint glow like a dancing ghost inside its blue stone. The twins exchanged a worried stare before their silver eyes focused once again on their father.

"Ada, they dared to try crossing the Bruinen" said Elrohir in a low voice as his eyes stared deeply into his father's, worried and suspicious. Dark images flashed before her eyes as she suddenly remembered the black cloaked riders around her, the despairing cold, the body of water hitting everything around her, trapping her in a fast moving chaos of splashing water. Elladan's finger wrapping around hers was what brought her back to reality.

"They would have never done so unless they knew Elerrina had the ring." Continued the younger twin, now directing his gaze to his elder brother, exchanging another one of their stares.

"They could tell the ring was there. She used it." Elerrina froze again as the Elf-Lord's storm grey eyes turned in her direction, staring deeply into her green ones. "You saw them, did you not?"

Flashes of the cold, silvery white ghosts inside the dark cloaks crossed her mind: their empty, white eyes staring into her, past her body; their rotting bonelike fingers stretching out to her and Elladan. Cold shivers ran down her spine at the memory and she simply nodded her head, her eyes not leaving the Elf-Lord's powerful gaze. Out the corner of her eyes, she saw Elladan lower his gaze, looking down at his hands on his lap. Elrohir's eyes never left his brother.

"But did they see her?" Elrohir asked as his gaze traveled hesitantly from his twin to the Elf-Lord. Elladan's eyes snapped up to meet his father's gaze, silver eyes attentive, hopeful, as she felt him tighten his hold on her hand.

"I do not know" came Lord Elrond's answer, as his eyes focused on his elder son's pleading pair of liquid silver. "The elven rings were never touched by the enemy. The nine do not see the wielder of these rings, as they do with the rest of the rings. Nonetheless, the rings are powerful things, and they can sense them. The eye can sense them. There is a very dangerous chance of being seen when wielding a ring of power. I am sure they did know an elven ring was involved as soon as Elerrina wielded it. It is what made them attempt to cross the Bruinen. Had Elerrina been wearing the ring, wielding it as its master, I would be sure that the eye has seen her. However, that was not the case."

The Elf-Lord's eyes turned again in her direction and she felt once again frozen under the deep grey stare, a flash of hope rushing through her veins.

"They eye will be fixed on Imladris." Glorfindel's voice echoed through the bedchamber, making the Elf-Lord's silver eyes turn to face him. The Balrog Slayer's soft blue eyes were narrowed, worried and alert as he stared down at his lord. The tone of his voice and the look in his eyes seemed to communicate a deeper message than the spoken words. "They know a ring is kept in here"

For a moment she felt guilty of immense crimes. She felt Glorfindel's warning from her vision play again inside her mind. She remembered the warrior's hesitation towards accepting her inside the valley; remembered his doubts about her; remembered his strong belief that she was dangerous. Had she given the presence of the ring away? Had Glorfindel's warnings of so many years ago come to happen? She wished she had never seen that cursed jewel. And yet, knew that she could not have helped her, the ring was visible to her whether she wanted it or not, and now she had proved that she could also wield it.

"The eye was already fixed on Imladris" answered Lord Elrond in a calmed voice, always kind and composed, and yet his deep grey eyes spoke the seriousness of his words, the power of his command, the wisdom of many ages. "The enemy cannot see into the Valley, Glorfindel. There are strong barriers that keep him away."

"My Lord" Glorfindel's voice was now gentler, edged with deep concern as he lowered himself to sit at the edge of the bed, next to the younger twin. "He will push harder now." His soft blue eyes remained unwavering as a long stare was exchanged between the two powerful Elven Lords. "If he is certain a ring is in the valley, he will push harder than ever before."

Elrohir's kind grey eyes turned to look at his father, liquid grey irises drowning in worry and fear. Elladan, however, looked down again, his silver eyes lost in a distant gaze.

"He may suspect one of the three is in Imladris, but the Nazgul are not able to track it as they did with the seven." Added the Elf-Lord, his eyes never leaving the Balrog Slayer's demanding blue ones.

"The Nazgul believe Elrrina has Vilya, but they are not able to identify her. They do not know who she is, as she was not seen. But then they…" Elladan's voice tracked off as his narrowed silver eyes stared deeply into his father's, which reflected the remaining words that had been lost before they were pronounced.

"They will search. They will search for her." Lord Elrond's voice felt graver as it reached her ear, the words sinking in like a heavy weight, pulling down until into a dark hole from which she could not escape. Equal pairs of silver eyes remained locked in deep gaze as father and son stared deeply into each other, the words floating heavily between pained, worried eyes.

"But it is a blind search" Added Elrohir, his gentle voice feeling like a warm, soothing breeze on a harsh winter day. His kind grey eyes looked at Elladan, a sparkle of hope present in the large, saddened orbs. "They might as well never find her"

"It has been enough already" Erestor's voice suddenly echoed through the air, making all of the elves remember his presence sitting peacefully in the corner of the room.

Her eyes remained fixed on the dark haired advisor as he gracefully rose from the elegant chair and took some steps in their direction. She had only interacted with the elf once, but remembered exactly the serene, yet watchful look in his deep blue eyes. She could see hidden in them thousands of silent words, feeling that only the most important of them would be spoken.

"My Lord, you need rest if you intend to leave this bed any time soon" Erestor said gently as he reached the side of the bed, standing as tall and imposing as Glorfindel, and every respected elf she had seen in the Valley. Lord Elrond simply raised a questioning eyebrow at his chief advisor in response.

"He is right, Ada" Added Elladan as rose from the bed, Elerrina closely following his example. "Try to get some sleep" He leaned down and softly kissed the Elf-Lord's brow.

"Conversations can wait" said Elrohir as he imitated his brother before slipping out of the comfortable bed. "Besides, Dan and I have to go entertain our guests in your absence." Both of the twins smiled innocently as their eyes sparkled with their characteristic mischief.

"Your concept of entertainment worries me" Said Lord Elrond as he glared suspiciously at the identical elves.

"We do not know what you mean by that, Ada" Elladan's eyes looked as innocent and pure as that of an elfling, and she was sure she would have believed it had she not already heard many stories about the twins already.

The Elf-Lord simply threw them a warning look but did not say anything else as the three of them walked out of the large bedchamber, followed by Glorfindel and Erestor. She watched in silence as the dark haired advisor softly closed the door behind him, then nodded at the twins and disappeared down the long corridor.

"Behave" Said Glorfindel flatly as he threw each of the twins a warning look before following Erestor's footsteps.

Elladan turned to face her, his eyes swallowing her into a swirl of endless liquid silver as he entwined his fingers with hers. She knew that the visions the Elf-Lord had shared with her had not gone unnoticed by the twins, but also knew that none of them would ask unless told.

"I have to go. A group of rangers arrived last night, while you were still asleep. Some of them were baldly injured, and Ro and I need to go and make sure that everything is alright."

His eyes continued to stare at her and she could see the glint of doubt in their depths, as if he was not sure whether to leave or not. She knew his hesitation was because he was worried. He was worried to leave her side, worried she was not alright after all that had just been said, and at the same time, she knew he had duties he needed to attend.

"Go." She said as she smiled widely at him, her fingers gripping his tighter. He smiled in return as his eyes sparkled once more with their usual carefreeness. He leaned in and pressed his lips softly to her cheek, the touch making shivers run through her body.

"I will go find Legolas. I am sure he does have time for me." She added and she heard him let out his musical laugh as his eyes glared at her jokingly. He let go of her hand and placed his palm softly to her cheek, absorbing her once again into his liquid silver eyes.

"Take care of your arm" He said in a soft voice, the smile never leaving his face. Then, he leaned in and kissed her lightly before turning around and joining his twin brother, who waited only a couple of feet ahead.

She remained standing still, watching the mirror images shrinking down the long, arched corridors until they disappeared from her view. Her mind was still lost in the images from the visions, and suddenly reality around her felt like a foggy dream as she slowly started her march down the hallways, through large open halls, and down elegant spiraling staircases.

So many things she had never known, so many things she still did not know. Images from her dreams merged the memories of the visions, and she saw the golden haired lady smiling broadly at her, and the tall, blond elf with the silver crown standing next to her. Would her knowing of her true heritage mean that she had to return to what was her real home? Did the king of Mirkwood, her father, know that she was here, in Imladris at this moment? Did he know she knew the truth?

Suddenly she realized that the joyful Valley was not really her home. It had been when she had been simply Elerrina and had nowhere else to go. But now she did have a home, in a different elven realm. She was a guest in the Valley, no different than Legolas.

Her thoughts drifted back to reality as she stepped into the clear daylight, softly smiling at the crunching sound of the red leaves under her light footsteps. She could feel the temperature had dropped considerably as the autumn painted the trees in various shades of reds and gold.

It did not take her long to find Legolas. The elven Prince was standing in a large clearing-a training field, she could see- and he held in his left hand a fine wooden bow, while his right pulled gracefully at the tail of an arrow before releasing it, sending flying through the air in a perfect line until it hit the center or its target. She stood in silence, her presence unnoticed as she observed him.

Again, he reached for an arrow at his back and repeated the graceful routine. His hands moved at the beat of a perfectly choreographed dance, effortless and precise as the arrow hit again the perfect center of its target. She watched as a third arrow was released into the wind and again landed perfectly on the center of the target. Then, she saw him lower the arch and turn in her direction, his blue eyes immediately finding hers. Of course her presence had not gone unnoticed.

"Do you ever miss?" She asked as a broad smile appeared on her lips. She could not help but smile at his presence, and only now realized how much she had missed him, even if it had only been a couple of days.

"No" He said as he grinned in her direction, his infinite blue eyes staring deeply into hers, and for a moment she saw the eyes of the small elfling from her dreams, the little version of Legolas. She laughed at his everything but modest reply and shook her head lightly.

"Elladan does, though" He added with a smirk as his infinite blue eyes stared at her teasingly. She could hear the joke in his voice, and was also sure that none of twins ever missed their target, but could not help but laugh at his words. Nonetheless, she had no doubt that the Prince was by far a better archer than any other elf she had seen.

"I did not ask you about _his_ skills at archery. I asked about _yours._" She said with a raised eyebrow as she walked towards where he stood, still grinning.

"Still, I just wanted to let you know, in case you ever felt that he was better than your own brother." She laughed again at his words as she reached his side. Then, she felt herself being pulled into a tight hug, and she gladly returned it, the blond elf feeling like a brother now more than ever.

"It is good to see you awake" He said as he let go of her, welcoming her into the deep oceans of infinite blue. "How is your arm?" his eyes narrowed slightly with concern as his gaze traveled down to her bandaged right arm, resting bent in front of her.

"Good" She answered as she lifted the injured limb slightly for him to see better "I cannot stretch it, but it does not pain me" He smiled at her and nodded lightly, his eyes sparkling like clear blue skies.

"Too bad I cannot let you try shooting an arrow." He said as his perfect smile turned into a grin.

"Were you really going to let me try?" Her dark green eyes widened in surprise and excitement as she looked down at the exquisitely crafted bow. A musical laugh escaped his lips at her expression, making her smile wider in return.

"Not now" he said in between chuckles. "But I do have something I would like to show you in this moment, if you would come with me?" He tilted his head in the direction of the gardens, inviting her to follow him. She did not think it twice and closely followed the blond Prince through the yellow and red trees of the gardens.

"Legolas?" She started, turning her face to him as they slowly walked through the labyrinth of trees. "You said you are the younger sibling, before me, right?"

"Yes" he said as he turned to look at her, smiling lightly at her.

"Who are they?" she asked and his eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "Who are your other siblings….my other siblings?"

"Oh" he said as he grinned widely at her. "If I tell you, you have to promise that I will still be your favorite brother."

"What makes you think you are my favorite brother as of now?" She said as she raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I am the only brother you know as of now" He added as his grin broadened. She glared at him and he let out again a melody of chuckles before continuing.

"I am the youngest out of four siblings: Three brothers and one sister. Arahaelon is the eldest, and he is noble and wise and will make a wonderful king someday. Lossenel was born second, beautiful and delicate, she resembles our

Naneth in that sense. Then comes Tadion…and peace ended in Mirwook. He is Elladan and Elrohir's same age, and I was often either the victim or left out of their games and pranks. Adar used to say that I was Tadion's shadow, because I would follow him wherever he went and do anything he said. He would say that because he was older than me he had the right to order me around."

Elerrina found herself smiling at his words, trying to picture the little version of Legolas surrounded by all of the elves she was hearing about. More so, she was trying to picture a little version of Elladan and Elrohir running around with another blond (she assumed) elf and Legolas tailing behind. For a moment, she wished she had been part of all of it, she wished to be able to hear the stories and remember them as she listened.

"Elerrina?" He said as he once again turned to face her, the wide grin on his face reducing a faint smile as he stared at her deeply. "I am returning home in the spring. Have you thought of going home? You do not have to decide now, and I am sure Lord Elrond will let you stay here as long as you wish, but I believe everyone in Mirkwood would very much like to have you back. It is your home."

She remained staring into his infinite blue eyes, the words dancing inside her head. She knew the time would come in which her father would finally claim her back. Part of her wanted to return to the home she did not know, to meet her family by blood, and yet part of her grieved to depart from the valley, from Elladan. A gentle breeze toyed with her long golden locks as her thoughts drifted to the life that waited ahead of her…

Here is chapter 39! I apologize for the long wait, but I have had very little time this past weeks. I will try to post the next chapter as soon as I get the chance to. Let me know what you think! I appreciate all of your comments!

Thank you again to my wonderful reviewers, you always make my days: IloveEomer 3, alexiana75, TwinSwords1991, Coco99, TheRegularOne, Paperlanterns86, booklover1498, MinNinniach, CeffylGwyn, and my anonymous reviewer. Sorry for not getting back to all you by now, but I really have been incredibly busy.

Love,

Elena


	40. In Between Silver And Gold

Her thoughts drifted to the option of returning to her homeland as she walked through the red trees beside Legolas. Part of her longed to meet her family, and yet part of her did not wan to leave the Valley of Imladris. More so, if she chose to return with Legolas in the spring, she did not want to be the one to tell Elladan about it. The idea of living in a place away from him made her heart ache, and already she longed for his presence, for his sparkling silver eyes, for his musical voice and playful grin.

Finally, the elven Prince stopped walking, and Elerrina felt herself returning to reality. It was then that she realized where they had been walking all along. The stables of Rivendell stretched in front of them, and she could already hear and see some of the horses. Two elves were currently a the entrance, one of them holding the reins of two dark brown horses, probably leading them back from a walk. Their faces turned to meet them as they heard tem approach, soft smiles appearing on their lips.

She immediately recognized the one that was not holding the horses. A sad feeling took hold of her as she remembered that same dark haired elf being carried by other three elves from the Main Hall the night the attack had happened. She had not been able to get a good look at him that night, but now she could see that his eyes where a beautiful shade of pale hazel.

"Good afternoon, Prince Legolas, My Lady" Greeted the dark haired elf she recognized as he nodded to each of them individually. Then, his eyes turned directly at Legolas "Can I help you with something, My Lord?"

"It is alright, Calardan. I am merely here for a ride" Answered Legolas offering the dark haired elf, Calardan from what she heard, a kind smile. Her eyes turned to look at the blond Prince questioningly, but he did not return her gaze.

"Of course" Said the elf with a slight nod of his head.

"It will be my pleasure to ready your horse, if you would wait a couple of minutes, Prince Legolas" Her attention now turned to the other elf holding the two horses as he spoke. He was taller than Calardan, and his hair was a light shade of brown. His eyes, on the other hand, where the same pale shade of hazel, and she wondered if the two elves were related.

"Thank you, Caellor" Came Legola's reply, and the latter elf nodded his head with a smile before disappearing inside the stables, leading the two beautiful animals behind him.

The name immediately rang a bell in her head. She remembered Elrohir mentioning that name before. She had never seen the elf before, but knew that he had been the one that Elladan had somehow saved during the horrific battle, earning a painful injury to the shoulder in return.

Elerrina let her eyes wonder around the stables, focusing on the various horses that were kept inside. Her eyes quickly recognized both of the twin's horses, magnificent and beautiful creatures. A horse next to Elladan's caught her attention. The animal was as dark as night, the silky mane shining in a bluish tone under the bright sunlight.

The horse stood peacefully and quiet, looking even more majestic in the stillness. And yet, the second the light brown-haired elf walked in front of it, the horse jumped onto its rear legs, swinging its front ones in the Caellor's direction and making Elerrina jump in surprise.

"I was not going to touch you" She heard Caellor say, his voice slightly annoyed as he stared intently at the horse, almost as if the animal could understand him. The horse stood still again, and yet his stance did not seem friendly as it looked down at the elf in front of it.

"Whose is that one?" She wondered out loud, her eyes fixed on the magnificent dark horse, and she felt its eyes look at her, almost as if it had understood her words. The horse remained once again still, in complete peace.

"Which one? The beast?" Answered Calardan with a smile as his hand pointed to the dark horse. Elerrina simply nodded her head in response, her eyes never leaving the animal as it stood in complete stillness, almost elegant in its hostile stance.

"That one is Lord Elrond's" Calardan's hazel eyes look at the dark horse as he spoke "Marvelous horse. War trained. Obedient to voice, but he does not let anyone other than Lord Elrond touch him. He lets me and Caellor approach him only every so often to feed him or care for him."

Caellor emerged from the stables holding the reins of Legolas' white horse. Her lips curved up in a smile at the sight of the beautiful animal, and once again she wanted to pet it, to feel the soft mane tangle between her fingers.

"Here you go, My Lord" Said Caellor with a smile as he handed the reins of the white horse to its owner. Legolas took the reins in on of his hands with a nod of his head, and with the other reached up to softly caress the horses' head.

"Thank you, Caellor" Answered the blond Prince and the other two elves nodded their heads in response. She threw Legolas a questioning look as he started walking away with the reins of the horse still in his hands.

"Where are you going?" She asked finally, not really understanding her brother's actions.

"To the clearing" He answered in a disinterested tone as he glanced back to meet her eyes, his infinite blue orbs reflecting the light blue sky above. "Are you coming?"

Elerrina forced her feet to move forward, needing to take a couple of quick steps to catch up with her brother. She did not intend to be left behind. She could already see Legolas guiding the white horse inside a large clearing that had been enclosed with a low wooden fence on its perimeter. She assumed that the clearing was the place where they usually trained the horses, or let them run free for a while during the days.

"Are you going to ride in here?" She asked, her voice betraying more of her confusion than she would have wanted. She knew that Legolas was a good rider, and it made no sense to her for him to want to take a ride inside this clearing. He could very well go anywhere in the valley, or out to the forest if he wanted to.

"No." Came the short answer. Legolas had stopped in the center of the clearing, waiting for her to reach his side. His light blond hair looked lighter under the golden sunlight as he offered her one if his perfect smiles. "You are"

Elerrina felt her eyes widen in surprise as her smile broadened in her lips. She felt like an elfling again, bursting with excitement. Legolas' smile widened at her reaction, transforming into a large grin that reached his sky colored eyes.

"Really?" She asked as she reached his side, her green eyes still wide. She tried not to smile so broadly, but it was impossible now. Legolas let out a chorus of chuckles as one her hands stretched to gently pet the horse's long mane.

"Yes" He said between chuckles. "I told you that you have a horse of your own back in Mirkwood. You need to learn how to ride if you intent to ride it." His voice sounded playful, full of fake annoyance as a brother teasing a younger sister. And yet, at the same time, the sparkle in his eyes told her that he was enjoying every single second of her excitement.

"I am one-handed for the moment, remember?" She added, suddenly remembering her injured right arm, which she could not move. "Will I not fall?"

She wanted to ride the horse. She wanted to be able to ride on her own, to run through the clearing feeling the wind blowing on her face, the same way that it felt when she had ridden with Elladan on his horse. And still, she felt slightly scared about handling the horse on her own.

"You will not fall." Legolas reassured her with a smile as he helped her onto the horse's back, handing her the reins with one of his hands. She took them hesitantly, and could already feel butterflies on her stomach at both fear and enthusiasm.

"I will be behind you" She heard him say as he jumped behind her on he horse, placing his arms at each side of her as he too held onto the reins of the horse. The white horse had remained perfectly still for the time being, a thing she was grateful for, only shaking its long mane every once in a while.

"Here, hold them like this" He instructed her as he placed the reins once again in her healthy hand. She did as instructed, her green eyes throwing a nervous glance back in his direction.

Then, she heard him say something in elvish, or Sindarin, as she had learned the language to be called, and the horse slowly started to move forward. The smile on her lips widened, if that possible, as she slowly started to take control. Legolas kept instructing her of what to do, taking the reins on his hands whenever she made an abrupt move. After some moments she was able to guide the horse on her own, leading it in a steady slow pace, and she felt Legolas relax behind her, his hands now resting behind him as he leant back.

"You are not doing bad at all" He commented and she let out a light laugh. She did not really think anyone could do really badly at the slow pace in which they were riding. Still, she did not feel completely confident maneuvering the horse on her own, and now more than ever she marveled at Elladan's skills in guiding his horse through the forest as they ran from the black riders.

"Is this how you learned to ride?" She asked and she heard him chuckle again behind her.

"Yes. I think we all did this way. Except that I was very small. I do not really remember learning how to ride." She threw him a glare, but it only lasted a fraction of a second as she concentrated her eyes again on the front.

"You are saying that only because I never learned until now."

"Of course" He let out a chuckle and she could not help but smile in return.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur to her. By the time she made her way back through the elegant hallways of the house, the sun was already setting in the horizon. Its red beams of light seemed to glow brighter next to the golden trees, accentuating their color until it seemed that the sky burned with a tender fire.

Legolas and her had spent hours riding in circles inside the clearing, but it had merely appeared to be minutes. After some time he had even jumped down from the horse and walked along as she rode entirely on her own. At first she had been reluctant, her nervousness making her temporarily panic at the idea of sitting alone atop the large horse. What if it set out running without notice?

Luckily, her brother seemed to be persistent enough to deal with her temper and had managed to keep her sitting on the horse as he remained on the ground. Even more to his credit, he had managed to actually make her ride while he walked beside her. A soft smile appeared on her lips as she replayed the events of the day while she rounded a very familiar corner that led to her chamber. As much as she had complained, and told Legolas to take her down in her moments of panic, she had really enjoyed riding the horse.

Faelilla was waiting for her inside the now very familiar room that had begun to feel like a home to her. Her smile widened at the sigh of the platinum haired elf, who turned around to face her as she entered the piece.

"My Lady!" She felt her smile falter slightly in confusion at the unusual wide grin that the young elven maid held on her delicate face. Her morning sky eyes seemed to beam with excitement, and it did not take Elerrina long to understand the cause of it.

There was something different about the room. There, on the soft, pale lavender covers of the bed laid a large box tied with a delicate, pale gold ribbon. Her eyes travelled again to Faelilla, searching for an explanation in her morning sky eyes, but the platinum haired elf only smiled wider as she walked closer to Elerrina.

"It was already here when I arrived" She said, her voice as soothing as always, and yet glowing with transparent eagerness. Elerrina could not help but let her smile widen as her eyes travelled again to the box on the bed.

"May I stay while you open it, My Lady?" Her eyes turned again to meet Faelilla's, chuckling softly at the maid's pleading grin.

"Do you already know what it is?" She narrowed her eyes mockingly at the platinum haired elf, and a chorus of giggles escaped Faelilla's lips as she reached Elerrina's side.

"No." She answered with a slight shake of her head. "But I must admit I find myself extremely curious" Now it was Elerrina's turn to laugh lightly.

"Then, let us find out" She said as her hands slowly reached for the large box, her fingers softly toying with the golden ribbon but not yet untying it. Memories of her childhood burst into her mind as she stared at the present. It had not been very often that she had received gifts, always only for her birthday's and special occasions. A thought stopped her before she pulled at the ribbon, and her hands went to search for a note or anything on the box before opening it. To her surprise, she found none.

"Who sent it?" The question left her lips while an answer was already playing inside her head. Faelilla simply shook her head in response, and Elerrina immediately understood that the elf had no answer to her question. However, the sudden sparkle that gleamed in her blue eyes implied that she too was thinking the same as her.

Turning her attention back to the box, Elerrina let her fingers gently pull at the ends of the golden ribbon, letting if fall with a light grace over the pale lavender covers. Throwing one last look at Faelilla beside her, she lifted the top of the box, revealing to her eyes the contents of it. Inside the box laid a neatly folded piece of clothing, and her hands reached for the small note that rested lightly over it.

_I have always liked green. I hope you "like" it._

_-Dan_

Her lips curved up in a smile as she set the note aside and lifted the garment that lay inside the box. Pale green velvet shone dully at the scarce sunlight as the beautiful travelling cloak fell almost to the floor while she held it up. The fabric felt incredibly soft to her fingers, making her remember of how Elladan's cloak had felt to her arms as she held onto him behind the horse. The bottom of the cloak was embroidered in delicate patterns in thin silver and gold thread, which seemed to lace infinitely with one another in a dance that reflected the rays of the extinguishing sun.

"That is a fine cloak, My Lady" Suddenly Elerrina remembered the presence of Faelilla standing next to her, and she turned her head to meet the smiling eyes of the platinum haired elf.

"It is" She replied, but her eyes travelled again to the small note set on the bed. The cloak was gorgeous, but it not precisely the reason why she liked it that much. It was the elf she thought of when she looked at it, the elf who had given the present, and to her eyes, the note itself with his name written elegantly at the end felt more precious than the cloak itself.

Without hesitation, Elerrina placed the cloak back in the box and strode towards the door, sparing one last look at Faelilla before leaving the room in a haste. She longed to see him, longed to hold him. She felt as if her chest would burst from love, and she was sure she was grinning like she was insane as she hurried though the long corridors of the house. For once in her life, her feet seemed to be moving slower than she wanted, and she begged for them to walk faster, her eyes anticipating her destination as she rounded every corner, as she climbed every step.

It seemed to take longer that ever to reach the exquisitely carved wooden door that led to Elladan's chambers. She threw it open, not bothering to knock as she partially ran inside the room, her eyes eager to find the tall dark haired figure of the elder son of Elrond, to look into his liquid silver eyes.

As soon as her joy had come, it vanished. Her smile broke as she discovered that the large bedchamber was empty. Elladan was not there. She stood there, feeling slightly disappointed as her eyes searched again through the room, rememorizing every detail. Slowly, her feet guided her towards the large balcony, almost walking on their own as she made her way to her favorite spot in the room.

The sun had finally set in the horizon, and the purple twilight fought feebly against the dark blue veil that threatened to take over the sky. The soothing lullaby of the waterfalls reached her ears, and she smiled at the sound as a cool breeze toyed with her golden strands of hair. She let her eyes wonder through the valley below, stopping to silently admire every small house, every bridge, every garden.

Suddenly, a new feeling of sadness overwhelmed her as she remembered Legolas' proposal from some hours ago. She felt a knot in her throat as her mind travelled again to the small note still resting on her bed, and the idea of leaving the valley suddenly felt like leaving her home. But how ironic. She was supposed to be leaving the valley to go to her home. And yet, she knew that form Mirkwood she could not go running in search for Elladan; she could not go to him whenever she pleased. And suddenly the empty room felt emptier to her, a ghost of a vision from the not so far ahead future. Mirkwood would be like entering this empty room again: Elladan would not be there.

A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind, making her smile in surprise as she immediately recognized the touch. She felt Elladan rest his chin on her left shoulder as he pulled her closer to him, her back against his chest. She had been so deep in her thoughts that she had not heard him enter.

"What are you looking at?" he whispered in her ear and she could feel his warm breath caressing her skin as his lips brushed her ear with the spoken words. Smiling, she let her hands travel to his, and entwined her fingers with his slender ones still wrapped around her waist. She was glad that his hands were at the reach of her injured right arm, for she still was not able to stretch it.

"Nothing in particular." Her voice sounded barely audible, but she knew he had heard her. "Just thinking."

Shills ran down her spine as she felt his lips on her neck, gently placing kisses all along the side of it, and for a moment, she forgot everything else, nothing seemed to matter. She turned in his arms to face him, and found herself drowning in his endless liquid silver eyes, and she never wanted to be rescued.

He leaned closer and closed the gap between them in a passionate kiss, and she returned it. Her hands reached to his neck, her fingers softly tangling in his long dark hair as she felt his hand sliding down along the curve of her waist, stopping at her hip where she felt it add a little pressure.

After a moment that seemed too short for her, they broke apart. Elladan's eyes remained fixed on hers, looking at her with a combination of love, lust and adoration that appeared to sparkle in unison with their characteristic mischievous gleam. And yet, she knew that he would not attempt to go any further with her; he was a lord. Once again she felt as if her heart would explode inside her chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I heard that we have a new rider now?" He asked teasingly as his eyebrows shot up. She let out a light laugh before turning once again in his arms to face the valley below. Elladan simply stepped closer to her, and gently rested his chin on her left shoulder, as he previously had done.

"Oh, yes. I believe few could match my skills." He chuckled at her words, his warm breath brushing her ear in the process. Another chilled autumn breeze caressed her face, and she was glad for Elladan's arms wrapped around her and the closeness of his warm body.

"I am even better than you." She added turning her face to place a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Now, that is a high bet. I will have to see you and be the judge of that"

"Oh, _you_ will not be the judge of anything!" She napped playfully as another light laugh escaped her lips. "You will obviously pick yourself! May I remind you that it would be extremely unfair, My Lord"

"Forgive me, My Lady. It would in fact be unfair on my part to pick myself, and not anyone else have the honor of doing so." He replied in his formal lordly voice and she elbowed him softly on the chest at his comment. His musical laugh echoed trough the night air, and she could not help but join.

"Thank you for the cloak" Her voice had abandoned all of its playfulness as it now turned completely honest and soft. Her smile never disappeared from her lips, as her eyes remained lost on the moonlit valley. "I do _like_ it"

"And I _like_ you" he said a soft voice as he nuzzled his nose to the side of her neck, making her squeal at the tickling sensation.

"I have something else for you" his voice was merely a whisper and she could hear deep love engraved in his words as his breath brushed her ears. Surprised, she turned her face to the side to meet his eyes and he placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose.

Then, he let one of his hands to travel from around her waist to the pocket of his tunic and she saw him pull out a small item. He moved his hand in front of her as his chin continued to rest on her shoulder from behind. As he opened his hand she caught sight of the pale moonlight sparkling dimly on a very familiar silver pin. Tiny emeralds and sapphires sparkled in the night, seeming to irradiate like stars shooting form the center of the pin. It was the very same pin he had used to secure Arwen's cloak around her when they departed to search for Lord Elrond.

She immediately turned to look at him, a clear expression of shock and bewilderment written on her face. To accept the cloak was one thing, bot to accept this piece of jewelry felt like too much to her.

"Elladan…" She whispered at a loss of words as she slightly shook her head.

"It is mine, and I want you to have it" He added, quickly reading her hesitation. "I will never wear it again after seeing how it looked on you. And besides you need something to secure the cloak with" He said as he gently took her hand with his free one and placed the pin on it. He used his fingers to close hers around the jewel, his hand choosing to remain over hers.

She smiled as she turned her eyes to meet his, once again feeling lost in a universe of silver, shining brighter than any constellation on the starry sky. She wished she had something to give to him, but she had left everything in the ashen ruins of her forgotten village.

"Do you intend to seduce me with gifts, My Lord?" She whispered in a playful tone as her lips softly brushed his ear. His eyebrows shot up at her words as his grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Would that work?" He asked, almost sounding a little too hopeful, and, at the same time, she knew he was only continuing her game.

"No" She answered with a fake look of warning on her eyes. His grin only broadened at her stern expression.

"Well, in that case, that is not my intention" A soft laugh escaped her lips at his words, and she felt his hold around her tighten.

Another chilled breeze swept through the night, feeling iced in the lack of the sunrays to warm it. Resting comfortably on Elladan's embrace, Elerrina let her hands travel once again to his hands. Still holding the pin securely in her left hand, she entwined her fingers with his, and felt that his slender fingers felt cold to the touch now, the same way they had on that chilled night in the forest. Suddenly, she noticed that the temperature had significantly dropped as night fell over the valley. She remembered that he did not have the same tolerance towards cold weather than her or any other elf.

"Let us go inside" She whispered as she turned in his arms to face him.

"We should head to dinner." He replied in a low voice and she nodded her head in response. He kept one arm around her waist as he offered his other arm for her to take and escorted back to the warm interiors of the chamber.

Suddenly, everything turned blurry, and she closed her eyes shut as she felt a powerful force assault her mind. The feeling was not new as she once again felt the strange presence inside her head, pushing to get through her with a force that she could not equal, a force that felt too powerful for mind to even remain conscious. Her head felt as if it would explode as a striking pain throbbed in the walls of her skull. Figures disappeared from her view. Pain. Something pushing against her mind. Too strongly. Too much pain. And then everything turned black and she knew no more…

Here is chapter 40! I hope you all enjoy it! Please let me know what you think! Comments are all welcome!

Thank you to those of you who left a review on my latest chapter, each and every one of your words means a lot: She Elf of Hidden Lore, Paperlanterns86, booklover1498, ILoveEomer 3, Coco99, MinNiniach, CeffylGwyn, TheRegularOne, Wtiger5, and GeekyDerp14.

Love,

Elena


	41. Fire and Ice

Images danced before her eyes in a blurry mess as things started to focus. Her limbs felt like jelly and she noticed that she was only half upright, her body supported by a pair of strong arms. Elladan had caught her before she hit the polished marble floor. She wanted to move, to stand upright again, but found that she did not have the strength to even open her mouth to say anything. She felt Elladan slide one arm behind her knees as he gently lifted her in his arms, her body seemingly weightless on his strong grip. He effortlessly carried her to the elegant couch inside his chambers, cradling her in his lap as he lowered himself to a sitting position.

"Rina?" His voice was low, almost a whisper, and she could her the faint thread of worry and fear hidden in it. One on his hands reached to her face and softly brushed away a strand of her golden hair, gently placing it behind a pointed ear.

Slowly, her eyes focused on his handsome face, immediately searching for his eyes. Deep liquid silver met her gaze, trapping her in a never-ending swirl of gentleness, his eyes sparkling with concern as he stared at her for a long moment. She could feel his distress through their bond, his fear at not knowing what had happened, why she had suddenly collapsed.

She wanted to reassure him that everything was fine, but she herself did not now exactly what had happened. Her mind felt dizzy, the memories like a faint fog that she could not entirely put together. The attack had happened so quickly. She remembered pain, then a force pushing against her mind, then nothing. She knew everything must have happened in seconds, for she awoke in Elladan's arms halfway to the floor, not lying on the couch or the bed.

"Rina? Can you hear me?" Elladan pressed, and she forced her eyes to focus on his once again, breaking free from her trail of thought. The worry that filled his silver eyes made her heart ache and she forced her lips to smile, although she was sure her attempt must have looked pathetic.

"Yes. I hear you" Her voice came out as a faint whisper, slightly shaking, but it seemed to be enough for Elladan's tensed body to relax.

She rolled her head to the side, burying her face in the fine silk of his tunic and she felt one his hands travel to the back of her head, softly stroking her hair. She knew he was worried, knew that he wanted to know what had happened, but she also knew that he would not press her, and she did not really want to talk about it at the moment. Waves of peace flowed through her body as his slender fingers gently stroked her hair, and she knew that it was him trying to soothe her.

"Are you in pain?" He whispered in her ear. His words made her remember the splitting headache she had felt after the last mind attack, and knew that he had not forgotten that episode either. It had probably been more traumatic for him than for her after all.

"No" Was her answer as she slowly shook her head. She felt no pain. She felt nothing at all. Apart from the scare and confusion, she felt no different than she had a couple of minutes ago.

Slowly, she lifted her head from the safety of his tunic to meet his eyes, letting his silver ones stare deeply into her, searching for the truth in her words. Her strength had once again returned, and she felt only as if she had merely awakened from a nap.

"What happened?" He asked finally as she sat upright on his lap, letting both of his arms wrap securely around her waist. His silver eyes pierced into her, demanding and at the same time pleading for an answer.

Elerrina let her gaze drop to the floor as she struggled to find an answer to his question. She did not know what had happened, and did not want to explain it or talk about it. A moment of silence passed, and she could feel his eyes continuing to stare at her, burning on her skin, but she did not turn to meet his gaze.

"Rina?" His gentle voice made her turn her head to face him, immediately feeling herself free falling into the trapping pools of liquid silver, unable to escape, unable to deny any request. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I am fine." She answered with an authentic smile as she placed a quick kiss on his lips before rising from the couch. He stood up after her, not looking entirely convinced by her words.

"Will you tell me what happened?" he asked again in a soft voice, his eyes more demanding now, pleading her to let him be a part of whatever she was thinking, whatever she knew. "Was it another attack?"

"Yes, I think so" She said waving her hand in the air as if it was something of little importance.

Elladan's eyes narrowed in worry at her response, indicating that for him the matter seemed of great importance. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders, his silver eyes looking at her concerned.

"Nothing happened, Elladan. I am fine. It was quick. It was nothing." She did not want to worry him, but he insisted in worrying over her.

"It surely was something, Rina. Will you not tell me?" His eyes stared into hers and she could not break her gaze from his, even though she tried.

"It was nothing. I am fine" She snapped.

A sour feeling crept in the pit of her stomach as she saw a flash of hurt cross his silver eyes, but it disappeared a second later as he removed his hands from her shoulders. The conversation was over.

"Dan, Let us go to dinner" She said softly as she reached a hand to his cheek, smiling faintly as an apology to her sudden snapped response. He turned to look at her and nodded his head in reply, but did not say anything.

Elladan took her hand in his, lifting to his mouth and pressing his lips to the back of her hand before offering his arm for her to take. His gesture was loving and tender, and at the same time, she could see in his eyes that something troubled him and could not help but feeling guilty about it. He did not meet her eyes as she took his arm but she did not say anything. She knew he was only irritated by the way in which she had suddenly snapped at him, and knew that he would need a couple of minutes to forget it.

The deaf sound of her footsteps seemed to echo through the large corridors as they walked in silence. Her head continued to travel back to the incident that had taken place barely minutes ago. She remembered the force pushing against her mind, and as soon as it had appeared, it was gone, leaving no trace that it had ever been there in the first place. Had it really been an attack? Or had it been an accident that whoever had invaded her mind had never intended for it to happen?

And added to that was her feeling of guilt, and Elladan's silence next to her, making the thin, pointed arches seem larger now, and the corridors hollow. True, she regretted snapping at him, but at the same time could not help feeling slightly angered that he would take it so personally, that such a small thing would bother him that much. It was not the first time she had snapped at him.

Elladan turned to face her as they reached the large pair of wooden doors that lead to the elegant dinning hall. A soft smile appeared on his lips as his silver eyes stared into her green ones, and she let herself be lost in those eyes she loved so dearly. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to her cheek before opening one of the large doors and leading her into the hall. And she knew that everything was forgiven, although he remained silent and pensive.

Inside, many elves were already gathered on the long table that filled the room; their voices echoing like a sweet melody through the air as their conversations merged together in an incomprehensible song. Elladan led her to what had become her usual place at the table: next to him and across Legolas and Arwen.

"Well, look who decided to join us!" said Elrohir cheerfully form Elladan's other side as he casted one a his kind smiles in her and Elladan's direction.

She noticed the twins exchange a look, and Elrohir's eyes darkened for a second before they regained their peaceful, kind aura. Elladan had probably told him about the small incident from before. Choosing to ignore it, Elerrina lowered herself to her chair and smiled at her brother and Arwen in greeting. Out the corner of her eye she saw Elladan take his seat next to her, but did not turn to look at him, although she could feel his eyes on her, scrutinizing her, almost expecting her to fall unconscious at any second.

"Dan, Ro was suggesting that we all go down into the Valley tomorrow." Arwen started as she looked directly at her elder brother, her smile dazzling on her flawless face as her grey-blue eyes sparkled with joy. "It has been a long time since we have been there, and besides you two are never around anymore. Legolas and Elerrina should come too…"

She heard Arwen continue to talk about her plans to Elladan, who seemed to be listening attentively to his sister, but Elerrina let her mind wonder off the conversation. As her gaze traveled across the room, her eyes fell on a regal figure sitting at the head of the table. Lord Elrond looked as powerful and peaceful as ever dressed in robes of a deep blue color. The silver circlet shone neatly paced atop his head, and there was no sign of weariness in his ageless face, the tired gleam in his eyes completely vanished. The only remaining memory of the dark past days laid on his carefully bandaged right arm, which remained bent and splinted, resting close to his torso.

She could also see Glorfindel sitting to the Elf-Lord's left, both of them engaged in conversation, the golden haired warrior bursting into light laughter every once in a while. Her eyes also caught sight of Vilya, glowing dully upon the Elf-Lords third finger, whispering softly into the air and into her ears, the strange words a melody that she welcomed now, suddenly not seeming as strange a before.

Suddenly, the Elf-Lord turned in her direction, almost as if he could feel her staring, but to her surprise, turned his face around in Glorfindel's direction before his eyes could meet hers.

Feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught, Elerrina quickly turned her gaze to her plate. She could still hear Arwen and Elrohir engaged in conversation, Legolas joining every minute or so with a new comment or idea. Elladan had remained silent next to her, pensive, and she could feel that something still bothered him, although his eyes kept travelling to her every two minutes.

Unable to contain herself, she spared one last glance in the Elf-Lord's direction, but found him once again conversing animatedly with Glorfindel. She did not want to be caught staring again, even if Lord Elrond not meeting her eyes could be called 'being caught', so she turned her gaze away and continued to examined the table.

It was then that her eyes fell on Erestor's figure. He was so still, sitting only two seats away from the Elf-Lord, that for a moment, she thought he could have been a statue carved in cold stone. His blue eyes were glued to the Elf-Lord, observing every movement, every action, as if he could see beyond what all the others could see, as if he could notice things in the Elf-Lord's behavior that others could not. Something about the scene made her feel uneasy, so she returned her gaze once more to her plate.

"Is everything alright?" She heard Elladan whisper softly in her ear, his voice so low so that she would be the only one to hear it. His hand traveled to hers and she felt him give it a gentle squeeze. However, she felt the hole at the pit of her stomach widen at the faint sound of discontent that lingered in his voice. She knew that he was not angry with her, and yet part of her felt that whatever was bothering him had to do with her behavior.

"Yes" she whispered in return, their exchange of words completely unnoticed by the rest of the elves who continued to chat among themselves. "I am merely somewhat distracted."

His eyes darkened for a second at her words, and she felt that they did nothing but bother him more as he simply nodded his head in reply, not pushing her for a detailed answer. He seemed frustrated about something, and she only wished she knew why. Part of her felt her anger rising at his behavior, at his sudden discontent. Could he not drop the subject?

"Let me know if you need anything." He whispered again as he gave another squeeze to her hand. More than frustrated, he sounded hurt, even if his voice still sounded as honest and loving as it always had. She noticed that he had not smiled a single time since they had left his bedchamber.

Elerrina ate in silence, even though she did not taste the food. She did not even notice what she put on her mouth, for her mind kept wondering outside of the room in which she currently was. She even joined in the conversation that Legolas and Elrohir held at one moment, but did not really remember what she said, or what the conversation was about. The only thing she was conscious of was Elladan's silver eyes staring at her.

Dinner ended before she could even notice it, and the joyful elves started to make their way towards the Hall of Fire. She let Elladan escort her into the warm hall, and gave him a small smile, but it did not seem to lift his mood.

Every face seemed to glow with delight as all the elves looked incredibly content to have their lord join them once again in their songs and dances. She even saw the group of rangers who were currently staying at the house attempting to join in the songs, their voices sounding all wrong against the melodic elven ones.

Vilya kept whispering in the wind, the sound somehow becoming louder and stronger as it struggled to overpower the singing voices of the hall. She could almost feel it caressing her skin, like ghostly arms of wind, embracing her in their powerful grip.

Unconsciously, her eyes travelled to the throne like chair that had been arranged for Lord Elrond. He looked peaceful, almost as if he could not hear the ring. And yet, she noticed that he fidgeted slightly with his fingers, touching the invisible blue-stoned jewel. The movement would go completely unnoticed or insignificant to any of those who did not know of its existence. Suddenly a new thought ran through her head. Did the Elf-Lord know of her mind attack?

A song ended, and another more joyful one started. She turned to face Elladan, only to find him staring at the front, his silver eyes unfocussed, lost in thought. Her head still felt like a hurricane of incoherent thoughts, and she suddenly wanted to be in a quieter space.

"Dan?" she said softly, and the elder son of Elrond immediately turned his head in her direction, his eyes finding hers in an instant. "I want to go outside. Would you come with me?"

Silver eyes narrowed at her request, transparent worry and confusion filling the usually mischievous gaze.

"Of course" He answered immediately as he gracefully rose from his chair, his concerned eyes never leaving hers, and she knew that he was once again questioning her well being.

"Rina, what is the matter?" he asked in a gentle voice as she too rose from her chair. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Lord Elrond silently slipping out of the hall, deep blue robes swirling elegantly behind him as he disappeared around a corner, Glorfindel following a second after.

"Nothing." She said as they walked out of the hall and into the empty corridors of the house. "I just feel like breathing fresh air"

To her surprise, Elladan huffed sourly at her words and turned his gaze away from hers. His silver eyes hardened, and she could see clear irritation in them, like a solid impenetrable wall.

"What is it?" she asked, finally loosing patience over his mood. "Why are you in such a mood tonight?"

"_Nothing_, Elerrina. I am fine" he muttered, his musical voice coming out harsher than usual, and she felt her blood running cold inside her veins at his use of her full name.

Shocked and angered, she sharply turned around to face him, stopping her march towards the gardens outside. They were standing in an empty terrace that led to the gardens, and suddenly the cool breeze of the night felt colder to her now as she stared into Elladan's hard eyes.

"What is wrong?" She demanded, feeling exasperation starting to rise inside of her. "I know something has been bothering you the entire night! Do not be so angry, and simply talk to me about it!"

"No, _you_ talk to _me_!"

She took a step back at his sudden hiss, his eyes burning into hers like fired steel. She had seen him angry before, but his anger was never directed at her. And yet, his eyes were not entirely cold, they were still liquid silver, deep pain and hurt mixing with the cold anger.

"I have had enough, Elerrina. Stop trying to block me out of your thoughts, and talk to me!"

"What are you-

"You collapsed next to me, and then you tell me that is nothing, and I should just accept that as an explanation? You refuse to talk to me about what happened. You refuse to explain anything to me. It is the second time such a thing happens and, let me remind you that for the first attack you also never said anything. What? Am I only here to catch you before you fall and then leave me to worry without ever telling me what exactly is happening?"

His eyes burned into hers, the anger now almost entirely overpowered by deep hurt as he stared at her. His words floated inside her head. She had not expected this. So that was what had been bothering him the whole night. He wanted her to open up to him, and she was not letting him share in her thoughts.

"You never asked about the first time" she said in a defensive tone only to be cut off by another snap.

"How?! How am I going to ask anything out of you when you can barely stand on your own, when you are clearly in pain and I have to hold you so hat you do not fall to the ground?"

His eyes seemed to swallow her entirely, and she found that she could not escape his stare, could not look away. She felt guilt starting to creep inside of her, but the anger of the moment felt stronger, and she could not stand his ire. She could see he was shaking now, his breathing becoming harder.

"What happened is not of your concern! It is not affecting you!" she snapped, sounder harsher than she intended to, the words coming out as an angered impulse, not really thinking them through.

"But it_ is_ affecting me!" She saw his hands fly to the sides of his head in frustration and exasperation as his fingers tangled in his long, silky dark hair. His eyes looked desperate now, silver orbs drowned in pain, pleading for her to understand, and at the same time, hard as stone in his ire.

"It is affecting me" he repeated, "I do not know what is happening, and I find myself simply looking at you, waiting for you to unexpectedly collapse again! And more so, I do not know what will happen when you wake up! What consequences any of those attacks might have! I have not pushed you to explain anything because I understand that you would rather not talk about it, but you cannot simply push me away and tell me that it is nothing! I know you share in some of my Adar's vision, I am not an elfling, Elerrina, I know he showed you something while in his chambers. But that is not of my concern. But this…this is of my concern. If you get hurt, I get hurt! So yes, it affects me! If you cannot share your thoughts with me, then tell me and I will simply walk away, because then I would have no reason to stay!"

Rage boiled inside of her and she glared at him intently. What was he trying to tell her? Did he not want to stay with her? Is that was he trying to communicate. She did not want to continue the argument; she could not continue the argument, her ire was too much for her to handle. Throwing him on last glare she turned around and stormed down the steps of the terrace, making her way towards the moonlit gardens ahead.

"Where are you going?!" She heard Elladan hiss behind her and felt his hand circling around her arm, preventing her from going any further. His eyes however, were not defiant but wide in surprise and warning, once again concerned.

She shook her arm free from him grip in a strong move, and he released his hold in an instant, his eyes never leaving hers.

"For a walk" She answered coldly before turning around again and taking some steps away from him. She only took two steps before she felt Elladan's hand grab her arm once more, stopping her on her march.

"I am coming with you" He said, his eyes commanding, his voice seeming not to leave space for argument.

"You are not!" Elerrina hissed as she, for the second time, shook her arm free from his grip.

"You will not wonder around alone at night" He said, his voice sounding slightly alarmed, but she did not care.

"Watch me" She did not know from where she was getting all of her will to argue, but at that moment all she wanted was go away from him.

"Elerrina, it can be dangerous." He muttered as he grabbed her arm for the third time.

"I do not care." She said as she broke free form his grip for the third time, but he did not try to grab her arm again. She knew she did not mean the words, but her ire was speaking for her and her rage flowed through her veins like a fire that controlled all of her senses.

"Fine, leave me to worry again! That is what you love doing!" He snapped, hi eyes now completely cold with anger. "You know what? Go. Take your walk. I also do not care. I will not worry any longer about anything happening to you if you do not care about it yourself."

With that, he turned around and walked into the house. She did not wait for him to disappear out of view, before storming into the gardens, her feet leading her in an irrational march through the dark vegetation, not really knowing where she was going. She knew she had not meant many of her words, and could already feel the cold claws of regret cradling her in their grasp as she wondered in the between the peacefully sleeping trees, away from the safety of the house.

Here is chapter 41! I know it has been a long time since I last update, I apologize for that, I had a crazy month and finally got time to sit down and write. Please let me know what you think! Comments are always welcome!

Also, thanks deeply to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: TheRegularOne, GeekyDerp14, ILoveEomer 3, mazzmataz, She Elf of Hidden Lore, Paperlanterns86, alexiana75, booklover1498, Lizzie, Coco99, and CeffylGwyn.

Love,

Elena


	42. The Solitude of Regret

The soft grass felt empty beneath her light footsteps. The cold air of the chilled autumn night embraced in a grip that felt bitterly comforting in her regret. Grey trees were silent in their sleep, their branches empty as almost all of their leaves had already abandoned them to the mercy of the approaching winter. She walked in silence through the labyrinth of gardens, ignoring her destination, her path guided only by the frail, silver light of the Moon.

Elladan's angry words still rang in her ears, mixing with the memory of the words that had escaped her own mouth in return. Her cold anger mixed with her regret and despair until she no longer knew what she was feeling, her body a swirl of emotions she could not describe. She wanted to scream, wanted to cry, wanted to keep walking away from Elladan, from the house, and at the same time wanted to return to him.

She felt her throat starting to constrict with each step she took, making it hard to breathe. Her chest felt heavy and her heart ached, sinking lower to the ground as the argument replayed in her head. Taking a shaky breath, she stopped in her march, her feet unresponsive of her commands.

The tall tree trunks felt taller now, stretching to the black sky, longing to touch the distant stars which remained unreachable, their light seeming to be so far away. The silver glimmer of water caught her eyes, and for the first time, she noticed her surroundings. The Bruinen stretched in front of her, like a dancing silver road that broke through the trees. She stopped, and suddenly, without the deaf noise of her footsteps, the forest seemed even more silent than ever. The light music of the water as it gently ran down the shallow stones was void of song in the peace of the night, as if the usually rushing waters did not want to disturb the sleeping forest.

Here, in the solitude of the forest, Elerrina felt her anger wash away, as if gone with the running waters of the river, leaving her as merely another cold hard stone rooted to her place. Breathing became difficult now and she felt her body overflowing with the suppressed regret. Her knees seemed to no longer be able to support her, and she lowered herself to the rocky ground, feeling small and frail. Now more than ever, she felt alone.

Unshed tears clouded her vision, and she closed her eyes in defeat, letting the frail silver drops slide down her cheeks, so slowly, as if each of them wanted to leave a memory of their path before dying as they dropped from her chin. She pondered at her decisions, the words she had said. Why could she not simply have told Elladan what he wanted to know? She wanted to return to the house, wanted for him to hold her, to kiss her. And what if he did not want to see her when she returned to the house? She remembered the hurt look in his deep silver eyes as she pushed him away, she had seen his anger, and she had seen his pain.

A chilled breeze blew past her, and for the first time, she felt cold. The coldness seemed to emanate from within her, all of her warmth sucked by the grey stones that framed the dancing waters. Vilya's whispers reached her ears, the sound like a soothing dark melody in her pain. She closed her eyes and focused on the strange language, the terrifying whispers that felt oddly comforting now, for she felt as empty as the words sounded to her, as foreign, and as meaningless in the strange tongue she could not understand. They rang in her ears like a soothing lullaby, flowing through her veins and merging with her very self, as if she could escape through them and vanish into the cold wind of the night.

But still, there was something about the place that did not feel comforting at all. A current of wind blew down the river, floating over the shimmering waters in their path. She looked up at the dark forest on the other end of the river, and felt that the sudden wind had been accompanied by a great power, as if tracing an invisible wall that separated each side of the Bruinen.

A slight movement at the opposite shore caught her eye. Cold shivers ran dawn her spine, and her heart seemed to stop dead inside her chest. A black shadow moved swiftly behind the grey leafless trees along the riverbank, a dark vaporous cloak floating ghostly over a black horse. She felt paralyzed, her blood growing cold inside her veins as she watched the rider, fear quickly taking control of her unresponsive body. The air seemed to grow colder around her, the stones at the ground beneath her knees harder. The rider had not seen her; she knew it. She was hardly visible from her spot on the ground, hidden among the lifeless rocks that descended into the running waters.

The rider continued its march, slowly walking down the river's edge, always guarding a safe distance from the waters, as if afraid of the silvery liquid. Another figure emerged from within the dark tree trunks ahead; another rider. It moved as slowly as the first one, following it in their haunted march along the river's edge.

Her heart drummed loudly against her chest, but she did not move, did not utter a sound. The solitude embraced her in its cold grasp, making her fear multiply inside her body, even though she knew she was a safe distance away. Both riders were perfectly silent, like unnoticed phantoms that lurked in the dark forest.

Another stronger wave of fear rushed through her petrified body as two more riders suddenly became visible through the thin grey tree trunks, joining the first two in their march. Panic started to rise inside of her, but she forced herself not to move, fear conflicting against her logical mind. There were four of them, not two.

Her heart started to race, drumming so loud inside her chest that she feared the riders would be able to hear it. Images ran before her eyes as she remembered the first time she had seen one of them in the forest. She remembered the cold, despairing feeling overtaking her body; she remembered shaking, gripping on to Elladan with her entire life until her nails had drawn blood from his skin.

The riders seemed cautious, as if they were looking for something. One of the black-cloaked figures stepped forward towards the water, so slowly, as if testing with every single step the horse took. Her eyes remained glued to the image as it descended the sandy way towards the water, carefully observing its every move.

The ghostly figure reached the water's edge, and stopped. Something had made it stop, but she could not see what. It simply stood there, the horse's legs only centimeters away from the shimmering waters, as if afraid of something she could not perceive.

Then, it took a step forward. One sickening horseshoe came in contact with the water's surface, splashing tiny drops of the silvery liquid as it broke the currents steady flow.

The reaction was immediate. A wild current of wind rushed through the air above the river, carrying a loud cry with it that seemed to echo in the air like a threatening warning. Her hair slapped on her face and shoulders at the impact of the sudden wind, but still, she did not move, did not even blink. A high-pitched cry escaped the rider, the sound making cold shills run down her spine as her eyes watched the black horse jump onto its rear legs and retreat a safe distance from the water.

Momentarily, her heart seemed to stop inside her chest. They were looking for a way to cross the river. They were searching for something that lay inside the valley. They searched Vilya…They searched her. As quickly as it had come, the wind vanished, leaving the air completely still, a deadly silence settling under the dark night sky.

She felt immobile, completely petrified as she continued to observe the rider. It stood there for long seconds, only a couple of feet away from the water, and for a moment it seemed as if it were debating whether or not to attempt crossing again. However, after the longest of seconds, it turned away, the black cloak floating gauntly at the still air, like haunted vapor as the black rider set into a run towards the forest ahead. Another high-pitched cry echoed in the cold air, and she saw the other three riders run behind the first, disappearing from her view among the grey frail trees and into the forest.

She remained there, kneeling on the cold grey stone, unable to move, unable to think. The only thing that seemed to demarcate the passing of time was her heart, beating rapidly inside her chest. Silence ruled the forest; the only sound that broke its veil was the soft rushing of the waters under the pale moonlight.

Elerrina did not know how long she stayed there among the cold stones before she finally found the courage to move. The riders had vanished, although she felt sure that they were still somewhere out there, testing many areas of the river, until they reached their purpose. They had never truly left.

The frail moonlight seemed paler than before as she took rushed steps back through the gardens. Her heart still raced, and her mind kept replaying what she had just seen. She knew the sudden wind current had been Vilya's doing; Lord Elrond's doing. So he knew about the riders that roamed the borders. Was that why he had silently left the Hall of Fire? Did he know that the riders were looking for a way to cross the Bruinen?

The sound of voices ahead suddenly brought her back to reality. A smile crept on her face as she recognized immediately the ranger's loud voices singing yet another song. They were completely out of rhythm, and not one voice matched another in tune only making her smile widen at their joyfulness regardless of how they sounded.

The group of rangers came into view as she rounded a corner and stepped into yet another garden. They were standing in a disorganized circle, not seeming to be paying attention to any of the plants that filled the garden, but merely enjoying their time outdoors after the long night in the Hall of Fire had come to and end. They looked incredibly out of place in their plain tunics and worn boots in contrast to well-kept elven garden that surrounded them.

"Good evening, My Lady!" Said the first of the rangers to notice her presence, a little to loudly. He was a tall man with messy light brown hair and he offered her a wide smile.

Some of the other rangers also turned their heads in their direction while others continued their disastrous singing, not really noticing her presence.

"Good evening to you too, Sir" She nodded her head politely in the direction of the man before continuing past the group.

"Wait, don't go!" A different man exclaimed behind her waving his hands animatedly in the air in sign for her to return, a grin plastered in his bearded face. "Come sing with us! We lack some pretty voice!"

Two of the men laughed loudly at the words, but she managed to keep a straight face.

"I am afraid I must decline your invitation. I am expected back at the house." She answered in a soft voice, completely amused by the ranger's behavior.

She was used to men and their noisy voices and gestures, she had grown up among them after all, but rangers she had rarely seen. Rangers seldom ever visited her village, and when they did they stayed only for a day or two.

She turned around to continue her march, but a rough hand around her forearm made her stop, gasping in surprise at the sudden touch.

"And where is an elven lady as pretty as you expected?" The man's tone was playful and yet there was something in his gleaming eyes and wide grin that warned her to better simply leave. The man's breath smelled strongly of wine.

"If you would excuse, I must go" She said in short tone as she liberated herself from the man's grip and tried to escape the situation.

However, the man did not seem willing to let her go so easily. Two rough hands grabbed her firmly by both wrists making her gasp in surprise. The man continued to grin at her, his eyes looking at her with a lustful look that made her feel sick.

"Come on! Stay and sing with us for a while! We rarely see elven beauties out there in the forest!" She struggled against his hold, but his grip was much stronger than her, making her wrists hurt from the pressure.

"Let me go" She hissed, glaring at the ranger with fierce. His grin only widened. The other ranger's seemed entertained by the scene, none of them willing to do anything about it.

"Ah, fiery temper we have here." He said as he stepped closer to her, making Elerrina fight once more against his iron grip. "Relax, beautiful. Have a little fun!"

He took another step closer to her and she backed away as far as she could, but her back came against a thick tree trunk. Her heart jumped inside her chest as she realized that she was trapped. Throwing another fierce glare at the man she struggled to free her wrists, but to no avail.

"Let me go!" She said louder, but he ignored her and stepped closer to her, pining her wrists against the tree, to either side of her face. His eyes travelled up and down her body, making her fell sick to the stomach.

"Come on, beautiful! Enjoy the night!"

His breath stunk of wine as his face rested on only inches away from hers. Her insides twisted at the nickname, but she continued to struggle with her pinned arms. Her right arm protested at the movement and the way in which it was bent, her injured elbow not yet completely healed.

"Let me go!" She insisted, hitting the man the thigh with her knee in an attempt to make him retreat.

However, her move seemed to have the opposite effect of what she had intended. The man's grin fell, and without warning he threw his face to hers, only giving her time to turn her head to the side in reaction as his mouth landed on her cheek. He searched for her mouth, but she kept twisting as much as she could, fighting to place her arms before her face, still fighting his tight grip.

"Oi!"

The sudden yell made the man stop abruptly, looking startled as he released her completely. A wave of relief washed through her as she saw a familiar tall figure rushing towards them in quick, long steps, almost running. It was Elrohir.

The younger twin's face held an unfriendly expression, and his silver eyes burned with ire as they fixed on the ranger. He looked so powerful and authoritative, like the lord he was. She knew that there would be no arguing against his words.

"Step away" Elrohir commanded looking directly at the startled man. His voice was not raised, and yet she could hear the iced rage that floated in the usually peaceful sound.

The man took a couple of steps away from her, looking somewhat scared as he realized he had been caught behaving in such a way. The other rangers had gone completely silent, as if frightened by the presence of one of the lords of the house.

Elrohir reached her side and she quickly stepped closer to him, his sole presence making her feel secure. He did not turn to look at her as his hard eyes remained fixed on the rangers ahead.

"I suggest you return to the house immediately. I will let Lord Elrond of this and deal with you later."

There was no argument, not a single hint of hesitation as the group of rangers quickly dispersed, heading back towards the house in complete silence. Elrohir's eyes then turned in her direction, the silver irises now soft and kind once again as he looked at her from head to toe.

"Are you hurt?" He asked in his sweet melodic voice as he reached for her wrists, inspecting them for any signs of injury. She could not find her voice to answer and his eyes returned to meet hers, worried at her lack of words.

Elerrina suddenly threw her arms around his middle, peace and relief overflowing her. Elrohir appeared slightly surprised by the hug, but wrapped his arms tightly around her in return after a fragment of a second. The touch felt more comforting than she had expected. She had never hugged Elrohir before, after all Elladan had always been there every time she had needed a hug.

"What were you thinking, Rina? You should not go wondering alone at night." He said softly as she pulled away, his silver eyes large and soft, filled with worry as they stared into her green ones. His voice did hold the slightest hint of anger in it.

Elerrina looked down in guilt. She knew she should have stayed with Elladan, but her sudden ire had taken control over her at that moment. She instantly knew that it had been Elladan the one who had probably sent Elrohir to look for her.

"Come, let us return."

Elrohir offered a smile as she felt a new wave of calm and serenity wash though her at the kind gesture. Elerrina simply nodded her head, and the younger twin wrapped one of his strong arms around her shoulders and started leading the way back towards the warm house.

"Did Elladan ask you to come?" Her voice came out low, barely audible and she knew that part of her regret was discernable in the weak sound. She noticed that she was slightly shaking, still much too shocked. Elrohir nodded his head in reply.

"He was worried. He felt you panic not long ago and asked me to come looking for you. He said that you did not want to see him." Elrohir's eyes looked slightly sad as he looked into her, his voice so soft and kind that she felt that her argument with his twin had been childish and pointless.

"He was scared, Rina. Elladan was very scared tonight. He thought that something had happened to you." She felt her guilt consume her as the younger twin's words echoed in her ears.

"Can you let him know that I am all right?" Her voice sounded more like a plea than a question.

"I already did." He gave her another sweet smile but she could not find the will to smile in return.

"He knows what happened, though." He added in a more somber tone. She knew Elladan would be furious at the rangers, and she almost whished he had never known of that.

"I am sorry. It is not true that I do not want to see him. I just…He was so angry that it made me angry, and I was not thinking of what I was doing when I left." She looked at the grass, concentrating on their steady steps as they marched. Elrohir's hand rubbed her upper arm soothingly as his arm remained wrapped over her shoulders.

"I know; and he knows as well. He was not angry, Rina; he was worried. He gets angry when he worries. You cannot imagine the amount of yells I have received from him every time I get myself into trouble. He is never really angry with me; he is simply worried and scared. "

"But he worries so much. You two are twins, are always in the same situations, and yet he worries twice of what you do."

"We are never in the same situation, Rina" He said as his eyes looked into hers, his lips smiling softly once again.

"He may be minutes older than me, but he is the elder brother. He is my Adar's heir. He feels that he has to care for Arwen and me; we are, in a certain way, his responsibility. Whenever I put myself in danger he worries, and he gets angry and yells at me, but only because he fears that something might happen to me. You saw the way he reacted when you rode with us in the rescue party; you saw how angry he was at the fact that Glorfindel had made you come. He was very worried for your safety."

Elerrina could not find her voice; there was nothing she could have said at that moment. Elrohir's eyes continued to stare deeply into hers. She had known that Elladan reacted in such ways because he was concerned, but to hear a detailed explanation coming from his twin made it seem different, made it clearer.

"Now, do not tell him I told you any of this, or I might get myself another yell, and this time for very different reasons" She chuckled lightly at his tone. He could so easily make the aura feel so light with his simple jokes.

"I promise I will not" She offered him a small smile as they stepped into the warm interior of the house, going once again silent while Elrohir led her through the long corridors.

She recognized his destination when they stopped in front of a large pair of very familiar elegant doors, and dread filled her body at what she knew was to come. Elrohir opened the door to Lord Elrond's study without knocking, holding it for her as he entered closely behind.

The Elf-Lord was there, as expected, standing next to the large oak desk, looking as mighty and regal as ever in his deep blue robes, and Elerrina was reminded of the first time she had stepped into the room. Lord Elrond nodded his head lightly at his son in greeting, and she suddenly had the feeling that he had known Elrohir and her were coming to see him. Did the Elf-Lord already know what his youngest son had come to tell him? Did he already know of the rangers?

However, her questions did not dance in her head for long, for her eyes quickly fell on the other elf that occupied the warm room. A couple of steps away from the Elf-Lord, standing tall and elegant, was Elladan. And yet, he did not look as calmed and composed as his father. He looked on the verge of rage, his eyes hard under frowned eyebrows, and his jaw clenched, as his lips remained pressed firmly in a line. As his eyes met hers, the expression in them changed; they were deep with pain and sorrow, asking for forgiveness without the need of words, and yet, they were slightly hesitant, as if he was unsure she wanted his presence at that moment…

Here I leave you chapter 42! I hope you enjoy reading it! Please let me know what you think! I appreciate all of your comments, they truly make it easier to simply sit and write.

Thank you once more to my wonderful reviewers: Nightengale14, Coco99, Sovereignty3, mazzmataz, TheRegularOne, ILoveEomer 3, saku-kamiya, Paperlanterns86, CalathielKat, Zee, booklover1498, MinNinniach, and CeffylGwyn. Your words really make it worth writing the story!

Love,

Elena


	43. Bitter Memories

The light clicking sound of the door as it closed echoed loudly inside the silent study. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elrohir swiftly walking past her and towards the place where Lord Elrond stood patiently, but she could not force her own feet to move. Her eyes remained fixed on Elladan's, trapped in his deep stare, frozen inside his irises of endless liquid silver. He had not moved, not even blinked as he gazed into her eyes, and she could see the transparent hurt that stained his eyes, the anger, and the plea for forgiveness.

The melodic sound of elven words being exchanged between Elrohir and the Elf-Lord reached her ears, floating softly in the quiet air. They felt so distant, so far away even thought they had been pronounced only some feet away. All she could see was Elladan's still figure standing across the room, and suddenly that distance seemed bigger than ever, the room seeming to have stretched infinitely, until she felt that she would never be able to reach the place where the elder twin stood.

Then, Elladan moved. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he opened his arms, his silver eyes still staring into hers, but they did not hold the slightest glint of command in them. On the contrary, they were doubtful, pained, seeming to simply hold an invitation, one that was completely up to her whether or not to accept.

Suddenly, everything around her became real. The riders lurking like black ghosts across the rivers, the awful singing of the rangers, the man's hands gripping at her wrists as he forcefully tried to kiss her, Elrohir's soothing presence as they walked back to the house… and Elerrina did not need to think it twice. She could feel her chest starting to fill with a number of emotions she could not name.

Her feet reacted instantly, crossing the room in long strides, wrapping both of her arms around Elladan's middle as she buried her head in his chest. Immediately, she felt his arms wrapping around her small body, pressing her tightly and securely against him, and she was sure he would not let go.

She could still hear Elrohir and Lord Elrond talking lowly in elvish, but that seemed of little importance now. She did not need to understand the words to know what Elrohir was telling his father. She did not care that Elrohir was in the room, that the Elf-Lord was in the room, she simply wanted to remain there, safe in Elladan's embrace.

She could feel her eyes starting to fill with tears, but she did not know why she was crying. Relief? Shock at what had happened in the gardens? Regret from every word she had yelled? The need to beg him to forgive her? She felt Elladan tighten his hold on her as her body started to shake faintly. He had not said a single word, but no words were needed, his accepting embrace spoke louder than any word she had ever heard. He remained completely still, his head still looking at the front, but she could feel his desperation, his anger, his need to hold her close to him.

"I want them gone" Elladan's voice trembled with ire as he spoke; gaining the attention of the other two elves that occupied the room. Elerrina did not need to ask to know exactly whom Elladan meant by 'them'.

She could almost hear Elrohir and the Elf-Lord turning to look in their direction, but she did not look up, she did not want to leave her safe hiding place in Elladan's arms as she further buried her face in the fine silk of his tunic. She could feel the light material already wet with her tears, but Elladan had not seemed to notice, or if he did, he did not seem to care. Elerrina was only glad that her face was not visible to anyone. She did not want Elrohir or Lord Elrond to see that she was crying, although she knew that both elves were very much aware that she was.

"I will speak to them in a moment. They will leave in the morning. Such behavior is not tolerated here in Imladris." She heard The Elf-Lord say in a calmed, diplomatic voice, and she could make out a faint gleam of reassurance and sympathy in the composed tone as The Lord of Imladris comforted his distressed son.

Elladan did not say anything in return as he simply nodded his head. She could feel the other two elve's eyes on them, but remained still, her eyes closed and her face pressed against Elladan's chest.

"Elerrina?" Lord Elrond said in a gentle voice, and she felt herself tense slightly as her presence was acknowledged. "May I take a look at your wrists?"

Elladan loosened her hold on her, rubbing her back encouragingly as his face turned to look down at her. She let go of him, although she did not really want to, and quickly reached her hands to her face, wiping away the tears from her cheeks in a fast move. She knew it was pointless, and that she would not fool anyone in the room into believing she was not crying, but she held onto that false hope as she turned and walked towards the Elf-Lord.

Elerrina kept her eyes fixed on her feet as she extended both of her arms for Lord Elrond to examine them. She did not want to make eye contact with anyone, her vision becoming blurry with new unshed tears, and she struggled to keep them from falling, embarrassed for crying like a child in front of the Lord of Rivendell. For a moment, she wished that she could look as composed as the Elf-Lord, but such as thing had proven to be impossible for her.

The Elf-Lord gently took one of her arms in his left hand, his fingers expertly and carefully pressing around her wrist.

"Does it hurt?" He asked softly as his eyes turned up to look at her. Elerrina did not look into his eyes as she shook her head in response. She did not trust her voice to speak, and she felt a large knot on her throat as the tears she was trying to hold finally rolled down her cheeks.

Lord Elrond, however, acted as if he had not noticed as he took her other wrist, and proceeded to repeat his gentle examination. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Elladan moving to stand closely behind her but he did not say anything. Two more tears ran down her cheeks and for a moment she felt angry with herself for being unable to stop them. Silently, she quickly brushed them away with her free hand.

"You can cry, Elerrina"

The Elf-Lord's wise silver eyes turned to look at her face as he released her hand, his voice gentle and deep. She stared back into the Elf-Lord's soft and kind eyes, looking at her with the tenderness with which a father looks at a child, making her forget he was the powerful Lord of Imladris. And at that moment she felt like a child, she felt like the small elfling who would return home crying, seeking her mother's comfort to heal her scraped knee.

A knock on the large wooden door echoed through the elegant study, making her turn her head in that direction. The door opened without waiting for an answer, and she saw a young looking, brown haired elf enter only halfway, his eyes looking directly at the Elf-Lord.

"My lord. They are waiting." Said the elf plainly, not adding anything else as the Lord of Imladris nodded his head in his direction, the message he carried already delivered.

"Apply some salve to her wrists to minimize the bruising." Said the Elf-Lord as he turned to look at his eldest son. Elladan nodded his head, but did not say a word. Then, Lord Elrond turned to look at her, offering her a comforting smile before turning his head towards his other son.

"Elrohir, you are coming with me." With a movement of his hand Lord Elrond motioned the younger twin to follow him. Elrohir did so without a word and, granting one last look at Elladan and her, father and son exited the piece behind the brown haired elf.

The door closed behind them, leaving her alone with Elladan inside the large study. He was the first to move, resting a hand softly on her right shoulder from behind her. She turned at his touch, her eyes meeting a deep pair of sad silver ones. She wanted to say so many things, wanted to hold him, wanted to kiss him, but she remained still, only staring into his eyes.

"Come" His voice was low, sounding incredibly soft and edged with a thread of pain she did not want to hear ever again in the usually musical sound. Unable to find her voice, she merely nodded her head, her eyes unable depart from his.

He stretched a hand out, inviting her to take it, a gesture that made chest feel tight and her heart to ache even more. He had never asked to take her hand; he had always simply freely taken it whenever he wanted. She took the hand without hesitation, and his fingers automatically wrapped around hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. Such a small movement, and yet she could feel such and intense emotion behind it. She wanted to say something, wanted for him to say something, but neither of them spoke as he silently led her out of the room and through the corridors of the house.

His hand never left hers, holding it tight as if to reassure her that he would stay with her, that he would not go anywhere. She knew he was not angry with her anymore, but she could not tell if he had completely forgiven her. Apart form that single word, he had not said anything to her, and neither had she. She knew he still loved her, knew he would do anything she asked for, knew that he was not walking away, but she longed to take away his pain, to tell him that she would not push him away.

Elladan led her to one of the rooms in the healing wing, opening the door and letting go in first before closing the door behind him. The room was completely empty, except for a tall blonde elf who was ordering some instruments at a small table. The elf turned to look at them as they entered the room, bowing his head lightly at Elladan.

"Can I help you with anything, my lord?" He asked respectfully, but Elladan shook his head in response.

"No, thank you. We are all right" The elf nodded his head politely in reply and silently left the room, closing the door as he exited.

Elladan guided her to a bed placed in the center of the room, indicating for her to sit down as he walked around the room gathering some things he would need. She sat in silence, watching his every move, his long dark hair, his graceful steps. A minute later, he returned to where she sat at the edge of the bed, holding a small bowl with a sort of paste inside. He pulled a chair in front of the bed and sat down facing her, silver eyes looking into her green ones.

Slowly, he reached for her left arm first, his hand gently holding her wrist, the touch so delicate and soft, as if he felt that she would break with the slightest of pressures. She saw his eyes looking at the white skin there, and she knew he was looking at the already bruising finger marks on it. His silver eyes hardened, burning with heated ire as he stared at her wrist, and she had to look away. She had not wanted him to see the marks.

He did not say anything as he carefully started to apply the salve over the bruised area, his fingers moving extremely gently, paying careful attention to each of the bruises and taking all the time that was necessary and more. When he was done, he proceeded to do the same with her right wrist. She could see that every bruised mark he treated seem to hurt him deeply, anguished pain mixing with the ire in his silver eyes as he looked at purpling skin. She knew that to him, the bruises were a bitter remainder of what the man had tried to do with her.

Once he finished, he covered both of her wrists in clean bandages, preventing the salve from rubbing off, or accidentally falling on her dress or anything else. She was only glad that the purplish marks were no longer visible to his eyes. He had kept both of her hands in his, simply holding them in silence as he stared at the bandaged wrists, his thumbs rubbing the back of her hands. He was silent, lost in some thoughts of his own as his eyes darted from fired hatred to deep sorrow and pain. Once again, she wanted to say something, but felt as if she had gone mute, her tears long ago gone dry.

"He..."Started Elladan, his voice pained and trembling slightly as he took a breath before continuing. "He tried to kiss you?"

He phrased it as a question, but she knew it was more of a statement. His eyes turned to look at her, and the pain she saw in his silver irises were enough to make her want to start crying all over again, but she did not. Not able to find her voice, she nodded her head, her eyes never leaving his. His jaw clenched at her answer and he closed his eyes in despair.

"Did he.." He started again as he opened his eyes, his voice broken, almost as if afraid to voice the question because he dreaded the answer. "Did he…kiss you?" His eyes looked so pained it hurt her, and she immediately shook her head no.

He let out a breath at her answer, his eyes looking down as he nodded his head in understanding. He gently squeezed both of her hands and placed a soft kiss on each of them. She could not take it any longer; she could not see him as pained and anguished as he looked.

Without a second thought, Elerrina rose from the bed and sat on his lap, placing the palm of her hand softly on his cheek. Both of his arms wrapped around her waist as he stared into her eyes, some of his despair seeming to vanish his silver orbs. She saw him swallow and close his eyes as he leaned in and rested his forehead on her shoulder. She let her fingers travel down his hair, softly stroking the long dark strands as Elladan tightened his hold around her waist.

Long moments passed, but she could not tell if it had been hours or minutes. She wanted for time to stop, to freeze her forever in Elladan's arms as she silently asked for forgiveness and, at the same time, told him that she had already forgotten their fight. It seemed like hours until she finally found her voice to speak.

"I owned a duck…" her voice was almost a whisper, but steadier than she had thought it would be. The sound seemed to catch Elladan's attention for he lifted his head to look into her eyes. "when I was little….I owned a duck as a pet, but it ran away."

She stared into his eyes as he silently listened to her, his silver eyes puzzled.

"I love it when it rains, but I hate getting wet." Elladan kept looking at her with confused eyes, but did not say anything as she spoke.

"I can write with both of my hands. I have never built a snowman taller than two inches, and I think that spring is the most beautiful of all the seasons." Elladan's eyes narrowed in confusion as he tried to understand what she was saying.

"What are you-

"I'm telling you things you did not know." His eyes looked deeply at hers as he tried to comprehend the reason behind. "I cannot tell you exactly what happened earlier tonight with the attack, because I myself do not know what happened. I only felt pain and then I blacked out. But I can tell you other things I _do_ know…like all of those things I just mentioned."

Before she could realize what was happening, Elladan's lips were on hers, kissing her passionately, lovingly, making her heart feel as if were to explode. And she knew that he had forgiven her, she knew that their small fight was only a distant memory that neither of them cared about anymore.

When they broke apart, he was smiling, his eyes fixed on hers, the pain and anger almost completely gone. She kept staring into his endless silver eyes, not wanting to look anywhere else for the rest of eternity.

"You owned a duck?" His smile turned into a grin as his eyes looked at her with amused bewilderment, a dark eyebrow raised in question.

"I did" She chuckled softly at his question, her head nodding as she admitted the embarrassing fact. A light laugh escaped his lips in return, the sound the sweetest she had ever seen.

"And may I inquire about said duck's name?" he asked mockingly, his eyes holding now a tiny glint of their usual mischief. "I assumed you named it, did you not?"

"Of course I named it! It was my pet!" He laughed again at her, his eyes looking deeply into hers, and she let herself fall into those pools of liquid silver.

"So, what was its name?"

"I am not telling you that"

"Rina!" He complained, and yet his voice was soft as he smiled at her, his hands still wrapped securely around her waist. She felt her heart swell at his use of her nickname.

"Fine, I will tell you, but you will laugh. Its name was Yellow"

She could not help but smile as she spoke, only wishing that she had been smart enough to pick a better name for the duck, but she had been very young and had not known many words at that time. As predicted, Elladan exploded in laughter, his eyes completely bewildered as he looked at her.

"I knew you would laugh!" She complained playfully, but he kept laughing.

"You named it Yellow? As in the color?" he said between chuckles.

"Yes! How many other yellows do you know?" She said, only making him laugh even more.

"Stop laughing!" She said as she playfully hit him in the shoulder, but she found that she could not keep a straight face as she too joined in the musical chuckles. "I did not know many words at that time!" She said defensively.

"I can tell." He answered shaking his head, only succeeding in making her laugh more.

Their laughter died and he looked into her eyes, his silver irises so deep she felt she would drown, inviting her to get lost in them, to never look away, looking at her so adoringly that she felt her heart would jump out of her chest.

"I _like_ you" he whispered softly, letting her know the real meaning behind the word 'like'. She smiled at his words but shook her head. For so long she had hidden behind that word. Never before she had wanted so much to say the real words to him.

"I love you" She said, meaning every single of her words as she stared into his deep liquid silver eyes. She had said those words before, but she had been pushed to say them, scared to admit them.

His lips curved up in a smile as his eyes seemed to swallow her. Then, he leaned forward and closed the gap between the two, kissing her with a fire she had never felt before. Everything else appeared to vanish. She knew four of the Nazgul were still somewhere out there in the forest, trying to find a place to cross the river; she knew Vilya was still safely resting upon the Elf-Lord's finger, glowing dully and whispering into the wind, alert; She knew the elves still worried about the orcs that had broken into the Valley, everyone still trying to understand why they had suddenly left the Elf-Lord to be rescued; And she knew that the presence that attacked her head could very easily do it again, and she could not tell when or where…But for now, nothing of that mattered. At that moment, everything else could wait…

Here is chapter 43! I hope you enjoy it! And please let me know what you think of it!

Again, many many thanks to my reviewers: Martine9295, Rylia, gossiphurl, She Elf of Hidden Lore, saku-kamiya, Paperlanterns86, Hirilnin, SarahWeasley, CalathielKat, Become1withSealand, Coco99, Zee, booklover1498, Wondering Soul, CeffylGwyn, Glory Bee, and my guest reviewer!

Love,

Elena


	44. Strangers In The Night

_Golden beams of sunlight filtered scarcely through the dense canopy of the trees, dancing slowly to the rhythm of the swaying branches. There was no sound; there was no smell; only the empty images before her eyes. She could see the leaves moving softly to a breeze that never touched her face. The green grass beneath her feet felt only like a flat surface, empty of everything. However, nothing of this was new to her. She had been there before._

_Her green eyes turned expectantly to the small stream that ran through the dense forest, already knowing what would happen. The shallow water shimmered under the scarce daylight, but there was no elfling. There was no one. She stood there, waiting, gazing at the vivid stream, almost expecting for the little version of Legolas to suddenly appear, his tiny hand absently playing with the crystal waters, but nothing happened. _

_Slowly, she made her way towards the stream, stopping at the water's edge, her eyes searching around her for any signs of the absent elfling. Instead, a different figure suddenly emerged from the dark forest across the stream. A tall elf stood regally in front of her eyes, long light blond hair cascading down his shoulders and back, framing the angled features of his face. His dark green robes seemed to merge with the foliage, embroidered in delicate patterns of silver and gold. Silver leaves rested atop his head in the shape of a crown. She did not need words to know the identity of the elf. _

_The elf's eyes met hers, and suddenly she felt small, powerless. Infinite blue eyes stared deeply into hers, seeming to absorb her whole being into their endless depths, to be able to look beyond her eyes and into her entire self. His eyes were soft, kind as a blue morning sky, and yet so powerful, the wisdom and experience of many millennia reflected in them. Somehow, she felt as if the elf in front of her was real, and not a vision of her dreams. Somehow, she felt as if he knew who she was. _

_The elf did not move, did not look away from her eyes, and she could not break the stare either, the power in his infinite blue eyes was too great. He was there, standing right in front of her, so close, and yet so far, separated only by the crystalline stream. _

"_Almarëa" A voice echoed inside her head, the sound so soft and yet so powereful. The only sound that reached her ears. Although, it had not really reached her ears, it had sounded inside her mind, as if completely detached from the vision before her eyes. _

_The regal looking elf continued to stare at her, infinite eyes piercing into her as the voice sang her mane once more inside her head…_

Elerrina blinked twice as her eyes adjusted to the dim light that filled the room. The healing room was dark around her, illuminated only by the frail flame of a dying candle. She was still curled up on Elladan's lap on the wooden chair, her head resting on his shoulder against his neck, her vision partially obscured by his long strands of dark hair.

Slowly, she lifted her head, trying to move as little as she could, and let her eyes wonder around the room. Elladan's arms were still securely wrapped around her, cradling her close to him. A small smile crossed her face at the sight of his head thrown back tiredly against the chair, silver eyes glazed in elven sleep.

The pale moonlight still entered through the crystal of a large window. It was not yet dawn. They could not have been asleep for more than an hour.

The image of the regal looking elf on the forest was still vivid inside her mind. She had immediately recognized the elf: it was the elven King Thranduil…her father. She had seen the elf once in another dream, next to the golden haired lady and squealing little Legolas. And yet, there was something different about this image of the king standing alone across the stream. Something in his eyes was different from the first time. The infinite blue eyes, so like Legolas', had been looking at her, and not in the memory-like manner in which the elfling and the Lady's eyes always did in her dreams. These eyes were not an image produced by her mind. They were real.

A small shiver ran down her spine, and she forced her thoughts into a different direction. She let her eyes focus once more on Elladan's sleeping form. She could feel his chest rising and falling evenly with his peaceful breaths as one of her hands gently placed a strand of dark hair behind his pointed ear.

Elladan stirred lightly at the movement, but did not wake, his arms only tightening his hold on her. He looked so peaceful, so serene as he slept, his glazed eyes completely free of any worry or pain. A pang of guilt formed in her stomach as she remembered the deep pain, anger and worry that had plagued his silver eyes only a few hours ago.

"Dan" She whispered softly as one of her hands gently shook his shoulder. She hated to disturb his sleep, but he looked so uncomfortable in the wooden chair. Elladan mumbled some word in elvish as a response, making her smile in return at the unintelligible, yet beautiful sound.

"Elladan" She gently shook his shoulder again. He stirred at the action, blinking a couple of times as his tired eyes focused on the figures around him.

Slightly confused silver eyes turned in her direction, brightening in recognition as they met her dark green ones. However, as soon as they had lightened, they darkened again and narrowed in worry as he studied her, making her heart sink as she understood that he was remembering the events of the night.

"What is it? Do you need anything?" He asked instantly in a whispered tone, his silver eyes still filled with concern as they moved up and down her body and face, as if trying to assess what was wrong.

"Nothing is wrong." She reassured him immediately, feeling guilty for waking him like that. "I do not need anything. Everything is fine." Her left hand cupped his cheek as she offered him a smile.

His silver eyes stared into hers as he absorbed the truth in her words, the worry and urgency disappearing from their depths as he nodded his head in understanding before returning the smile. His tensed muscles relaxed once again and his hand travelled to rest over hers on his cheek, taking it to his mouth and placing a soft kiss on the back of it. He did not let go of her hand, and his eyes move to gaze upon the bandaged wrist.

"Dan" His eyes turned once again to meet hers at the sound of her voice, making her fall into the endless pools of liquid silver that seemed to remain completely open, allowing her to drown in them, and she felt that she could see into his soul, just as much as he could see into hers.

"Go to bed. You are tired, and it is still some hours before daylight" She added while rising from his lap, her left hand still held in his. His lips curved up in a smile and his eyes followed her as she moved to stand directly in front of him.

"Did you wake me to tell me to sleep?" The tone in his voice was teasing and yet the smirk on his face and the mischievous spark in his silver eyes told her that he did not mind at all. A light laugh escaped her lips at the irony of his words.

"No" She said as she shifted her hand to entwine her fingers with his. "I woke you to tell you to move from that hard chair to a comfortable bed…and then sleep."

"And what makes you think I was uncomfortable?" Elladan let out a musical chuckle as he shook his head before he rose from the chair, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oh, Valar" he breathed out as he stretched his legs, his face grimacing in pain but the smile never left his lips. "How long have you been sitting on me?"

She laughed again and pressed her lips to his cheek in an apologetic gesture. His smile widened and the playful spark in his eyes was once again replaced by the transparent loving stare that seemed to pierce her and trap her in its endless depth.

His hands moved to hers and carefully started removing the bandages around her wrists, one hand first and then the other. There was no real wound underneath the white pieces of cloth, and yet his fingers moved with the gentleness one would use to treat a mortal injury. She saw his eyes studying the slightly purple marks on her ivory skin and a sparkle of anger flashed through his eyes for a fragment of a second.

"The bruising will be gone in a couple of days." He said offering her a small smile as he squeezed both of her hands before letting them return to her sides. This time it was she who did not let go of his hands and let her fingers lace with his. The skin around her wrists had already absorbed the healing salve, and there was no need for the bandages anymore.

"How are you?" his voice was barely audible and the deep look in his liquid silver eyes told her that he was not asking physically.

She could feel through their bond that deep inside he frightened as to what consequences the encounter with the ranger might have had on her. She knew that he would not let go of the thought that he had left her wonder alone, even if in truth it had been her the one to push him away in her reckless anger. She had walked into the situation by herself.

"Better than you" She answered truthfully, her eyes staring deeply into his. A small smile appeared on his lips but did not reach his silver eyes. The episode with the rangers felt like an irrelevant memory to her now, the man had not managed to do anything with her, thanks to Elrohir's perfect timing.

"Please, never do that again." His silver eyes pleaded, staring into hers. "Even if you do not want me to accompany you, have someone else go with you."

He pressed his lips to hers in light kiss before turning to lead her out of the room, but she stopped him by holding to his hand. He held to her hand in return and turned once again to face her, silver eyes gazing at her in silent questioning.

"I am sorry." She whispered, letting him see the honesty inside her eyes. For a moment he simply stared at her with questioning eyes until he understood that she meant to apologize for everything.

"You do not need to apologize" He answered in soft voice, waving off her apology with a movement of his hand.

"Yes, I do" She knew that his pride would never allow him to demand an apology from her, and she also knew that he had already forgiven her, but nevertheless an apology was in order. It was only fair and right. She wanted to tell him that she was sorry, wanted to admit to him that she had been wrong.

He simply nodded his head in response as he stood there, patiently waiting for her to speak, his liquid silver eyes swallowing hers. She knew that even if he would not ask for it, he longed for a well-deserved apology, even though she was sure he would completely forgive her without ever receiving one, as he had already done.

"I should not have acted the way I did. I do not know why I got so angry. I had no reason to. I understand why you were upset, and you had every right to be so, and still you did not push me away the way I did. I know you were only worried about me, and I am sorry for it. I…I do not know how to handle these things. Everything is different, nothing has gone in a way I can predict or expect, and I do not even know what to expect next…and I get angry for no reason. "

"When things get out of my control, when something unexpected happens I get defensive, because I do not want to get hurt, and I get angry and I yell…and I got angry with you. I knew you were upset from before, and I knew you would snap at any moment, and I got scared, I felt vulnerable, I did not want you to be angry with me…I did not want to admit to myself that I had given you every reason to be angry with me, so instead, I got angry with you, and I had no right. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?"

Her eyes had lowered to the floor in shame as she spoke. Never before she had admitted her flaws out loud, not even to herself, much less to anyone else. She did not know why she had felt the need to admit everything to him, to tell him everything she had said, but she only knew that she would do it al over again if he asked her to. She would admit every single one of the flaws in her character, every single one of her weaknesses and imperfections. To him she would admit a thousand times that she had been wrong.

Elladan had remained still, silently listening to her as his eyes stared deeply at her, like two endless pools of liquid silver that shimmered lightly at the dying candle. She let her eyes meet his and was lost in his forgiving stare, wondering inside the inviting silver irises.

"I know." He said in a gentle voice, no higher that a whisper. His eyes were completely honest, silently telling her that he had already known everything she had said. Nonetheless, she could see a sparkle in his eyes that told her that he was glad she had said it, even if he had already known. "And of course I forgive you. I already did."

Then, he closed the small gap between them and pressed his lips to hers in a long kiss that made her heart melt, either out of the love that was evident in the action or the way in which he so easily forgave her wrongs, she did not know. When they parted, she felt his fingers entwining with hers and suddenly she felt that he would always be near, no matter how much they yelled or fought.

"Besides it is not the first time that I face your wrath" He added as his lips curved up in his characteristic mischievous grin she so adored, silver eyes sparkling with playfulness. "Need I remind you that you yelled at me for saving your life from the orcs, and then proceeded to recite to me just how much you hated my very presence? Oh, and that you hit me with all of your might, and that threw the door on my face when we arrived here in Imladris?"

"Elladan! You are not helping me feel any better" she said unable to resist the light laugh that left her lips at his repertoire of times she had yelled at him. His musical laugh echoed inside the dark room before he kissed her lightly once more.

"Come. Dawn will come in a couple of hours. It will do us well to get some sleep." He kept her hand in his as he led her out of the room and along the now familiar route towards her own bedchamber.

She walked in silence next to him, her thoughts drifting again to the fresh image of the elven king standing across the stream. The look in his blue eyes still seemed to pierce her, even in her memory, and the sound of her name pronounced in the strange, powerful voice still echoed inside her head. So the king knew she had been told the truth about her heritage? Did the elven king know she was here in Imladris? So many things she wanted to know…yet so many things she could not gather the courage to ask about.

The long corridors were silent in the darkness of the night, and Elladan's fingers laced with hers felt like and anchor that reminded her of where she was as her busy mind wondered around. Every now and then, a chilled breeze would cross the empty hallways from an open window or a nearby balcony, bringing along Vilya's soft whispers, which felt like a terrifying yet enchanting melody in her ears.

She thought of Legolas and how much he resembled the elven king from her dreams. She thought of the rest of her siblings she had not yet met, and tried to imagine their faces, tried to imagine their eyes, but to no avail.

Suddenly a stronger wind blew past them just as they stepped into an open archway. This time, Vilya's cries were loud in the swirling wind and she felt a very familiar power starting to engulf her. Suddenly, she was no longer in the corridor next to Elladan. Her vision was replaced by a collection of flying images, moving fast before her eyes.

She saw the forest, the tall leafless trees extending towards the dark sky. Then the image shifted and she saw cliffs with shimmering waterfalls to their sides; she saw the forest again, a different part; saw the river in all of its extent; saw parts of the valley, then more parts of the forest. Then, she seemed to find what she had been looking for: a large group of orcs ran through the forest, not far from the river. The sight of the black arrows securely kept on their back and the heavy black swords held on their nasty hands made her shiver involuntarily.

Then, the image shifted again and she saw another group of orcs, larger than the first, resting for the night on a different part of the sleeping forest, some of them snarling at each other, jumping into fights every two seconds. The image was quickly replaced by another, more haunting one. She was now looking over the riverbank, at the edge of the water and the grey forest. Four dark silhouettes moved swiftly through the tall trees along the river's edge, like black haunted shadows lurking in the night. She felt her body turning into ice, the sole image of the four riders making her shiver run down her spine.

Then, she felt herself being pulled in a different direction, her mind spinning widely without her having any control over anything. Vilya's cries were deafening inside her head and she could feel its power penetrating through her, burning inside her veins as she was pulled into a darkness she had never experienced before. A bright red light filled her vision, pulling her like a magnet away from the sight of the riverbank. She felt the deepest of fears take hold of her at the incomparable force that pulled towards the fiery light. Pain shot through her head as she felt a different force opposing the first one, the two powers clashing with a sound so loud she thought her skull would break in pieces.

And then, she saw it. A large red eye that burned in hot flames with a pupil as dark as an endless night, like a dark whole that swallowed every beam of light into trapping darkness. It burned like deep red lava, fixed on her, its power too great to fight it, the red light seeming to emanate from it.

The defensive barrier that had shielded her before grew stronger now, its power contrasting the pulling force of the fiery eye. She could hear Vilya's cries in the defensive force, so loud that she felt as if her head would split in half. The blue-stoned ring's powers seemed to be creating the shield, her vision turning a blinding blue against the red eye. She did not know what was happening, the sights and sounds around her seemed to merge with one another as she felt a burning pain run through her body inside her own veins, Vilya powerfully fighting against the force of the flaming eye.

She tried to escape this hopeless fight between the two forces, tried to break free from Vilya's grasp, to return to her own petrified body, but she could not find control over her own mind. Then, something pushed away, like a strong hit to the head. She felt herself suddenly being cut from the vision, every sound, every sight cut from her mind by a blinding blue light.

She felt her body once again, supported by Elladan's strong arms and she noticed that her own hands were tightly clasped around the open hallway's railing for support. The wind raged around them, slapping her face like cold knives, twirling her hair widely around her face. She could feel Elladan's dark hair also hitting her face as it tangled with her own golden strands.

Her head continued to spin widely, the pain feeling like a hammer drumming behind her eyes. Almost instantly, she felt Elladan's fear and worry as his arms held her securely against him, not letting her fall to the ground. The wind continued to rage without stopping, crying so loudly she was sure Elladan could also hear it. She could not bear to open her eyes and Elladan simply tightened his hold on her, one of his hands shifting to hold onto the railing over her own hand, as if he felt that the wind could send them both flying backwards. Never before had the wind been so aggressive, and she knew that whatever fight she had witnessed inside her head was still happening, far from over, only that she had been pushed away from it.

Her head throbbed mercilessly and her insides were still shaking shock and fear. Elerrina let her free hand move from the railing to Elladan's chest, gripping his tunic with as much force as her weak body could muster. The trees cracked under the wild wind making her feel as if they would break under its strength. For a moment she felt dizzy, the world spinning even inside her closed eyes and she only held tighter to Elladan's tunic.

Vilya' s loud cries continued to ring in her ears and she could feel its tug on her mind, threatening to pull her once again into the terrifying visions, but there was also another power, the blinding blue light that seemed to push her back, preventing her from slipping into the ring's frantic call.

Then, as soon as it had come, it vanished. Suddenly the wind disappeared and an unnatural stillness settled in the chilled air. Silence fell over the valley. Nothing moved, the trees too growing silent as Vilya's cries could no longer be heard. She did not know what was happening. She did not know what to think. She could feel herself shaking uncontrollably, and she could hardly tell which direction was up and which direction was down, her head still aching painfully.

Elladan reacted first. She felt his slightly shaky hands wrap around her small body, lowering her to the cold stone floor, her back resting against his chest as one of his hands moved to her neck to feel her pulse. She wanted to look at him, but the pain did not let her open her eyes; much less pronounce a coherent word. She felt his hands quickly grasping her shaking ones, trying to lessen her trembling, but having little success.

Elerrina heard footsteps running in their direction, the faint sound echoing loudly in the silent air. She felt Elladan turn his head in the direction of the sound, but she did not move. She could not move; every inch in her body seemed to be on fire.

"Elladan!" Elrohir's urgent voice floated in the air as his footsteps came to a sudden halt next to his twin. She did not need to look to know the desperate look that the younger twin's silver eyes must have had at the moment, she could hear it in his voice. "Ada collapsed"

The words echoed inside her aching head, seeming to settle after a short moment as another wave of fear ran through her. Even in the splitting pain she understood the threat that those words carried. Nothing good could have happened if the mighty Elf-Lord had collapsed. She managed to open her eyes just in time to see Elladan turning a pair of frightened silver eyes in the direction of his twin.

A too familiar ghostly high-pitched cry echoed far in the distance, the muffled sound making her blood run cold and her face to pale. Elladan's hands instinctively pressed her tighter against him…

Here is chapter 45! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Please let me know what you think! And happy New Year to everyone, I hope this year will be a wonderful one for all of you! I was out of town for the Holydays, but I will update sooner this time!

Also, thanks again to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter. Your comments are greatly appreciated: loyalelf, ILoveEomer 3, Martine9295, CalathielKat, She Elf of Hidden Lore, CeffylGwyn, Coco99, alexiana75, a dream of fantasy, gossipghurl, Paperlanterns86, booklover1498, and Who Says It's A Rebellion.

Love,

Elena


	45. Hide and Seek

As soon as she opened her eyes she regretted it. The world spun widely in a blur of colors and she was sure she would have fallen down had it not been for the fact that she was already lying on the store floor. Immediately she closed them shut again against the blinding pain that shot through her head at the action.

The dizziness faded slightly inside the darkness of her eyelids and she concentrated on Elladan's arms holding her, anchoring her to reality. She felt the palm of Elladan's hand quickly move to her forehead, his other arm frantically pressing her closer to him.

"Is she all right?" She heard the younger twin lowering himself to his knees next to them. His usually peaceful voice was edged with distress and the words left his mouth in an urgent rush. A different hand was pressed to the side of her neck, feeling her pulse just as his elder brother had done only seconds ago.

Elladan did not answer. Instead, she heard him muttering softly to himself in elvish, the voice almost inaudible, his palm still pressed against her forehead. Suddenly she felt a warm feeling wash through her and her body relaxed a little as the splitting headache lessened only slightly. Her shaking was also reduced to faint trembling and she slumped even further against Elladan's chest.

Elrohir said something in elvish to his twin and she heard Elladan answer not even a second after. The strange words flowed almost magically from their mouths, and yet she could catch the evident fear and alarm that hung in them. She rarely heard Elladan speaking in his native tongue; he always used the common tongue around her, and the natural way in which the words echoed in his melodic voice felt comforting, distracting her from her aching body.

In a swift movement, she felt herself being lifted into Elladan's arms as he quickly rose from the stone floor. The world spun again and she wrapped both of her arms around his neck to stabilize herself, burying her throbbing head in the crook of his neck, her face hidden by the silky curtain of dark hair.

Elrohir said something else in elvish before she heard his footsteps hurrying away down the corridor. Before she had time to realize it, she noticed that Elladan had also started moving, his steps rushing with inexplicable ease through the hallways. She could feel his heart drumming inside his chest as he carried her in rushed steps, almost running, her body seeming to be weightless to him.

The slight rocking as they moved through the house made her feel sick as everything threatened to spin once again. Elerrina felt another wave of warm calmness wash over her, suddenly making her feel tired and sleepy. She concentrated on her breathing, focusing on the sweet scent of the soft skin at his neck. That seemed to work, and slowly she started to feel better.

She heard a door being pushed open, and then felt Elladan walking into a room, but she did not lift her head from his neck to look at where she was. She could hear movement inside the room, and some words in elvish reached her ears every second or so, all of the voices sounding shaken and alarmed. She could feel the overall anxiety that hung heavily in the air.

"My Lord!" One of the voices exclaimed as Elladan carried her inside, and the next thing she was aware of was of a new pair of hands helping Elladan lower her onto a long chaise.

"Rina?" Elladan's hands flew to the sides of her face and she finally dared to open her eyes.

Immediately she met a piercing pair of wide, worried silver eyes, fear and alert seeming to consume them. A deep sigh of relief escaped his lips as his eyes met hers, but the worry and despair never abandoned the silver orbs.

She caught the face of another dark haired elf peeking down at her behind Elladan, light blue eyes wide with panic and she could tell that the elf was restless and anxious by the commotion that filled the room.

Elladan, however, seemed to pay little attention to the other elf hovering behind him, his eyes completely focused on her. His palm flew once more to her forehead and she felt a new wave of peace washing over her as he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he leaned down and placed his lips to her forehead, his hands moving once again to grasp the sides of her face. He then rested his forehead against hers, his nose slightly brushing hers.

"Do you feel better?" His voice was barely a whisper and she was sure the other dark haired elf had not been able to catch his words. Deep pools of liquid silver stared into her, hinted with worry as they pierced her for an answer.

"Yes" Her words were more of a movement of her lips than a real sound, but that seemed to be enough for him. Letting out a breath, he lifted his head and turned to look at the strange elf standing awkwardly behind him.

"Watch her" He instructed as he rose to his full height to be able to look at the elf into his eyes.

"Yes, my Lord." Had her head not been throbbing painfully, she would have laughed at the expression of the elf, who simply nodded his head quickly under Elladan's powerful stare and commanding voice. She did not need to look to know how Elladan's silver eyes must have pierced the poor elf.

Throwing one last glance in her direction, Elladan turned around and hurried away from the chaise in which she now lay. She lifted her head, rising into a semi-sitting position to be able to follow him with her eyes. As her green eyes travelled across the room she immediately understood the reason why the elf watching over her looked so anxious.

Glorfindel and another dark haired elf she did not recognize hovered over the pale figure of Lord Elrond lying down on the long couch next to the roaring fireplace in the elegant study. Her heart nearly skipped a bit at the sickly pale color of his skin, his eyes closed in clear exhaustion. His trembling was evident, even from the place in which she lay, and she could see he was breathing heavy, shaky breaths. He was not unconscious at least.

What caught her attention, however, was the fierce power she could feel swirling around the Elf-Lord's form. Vilya glowed brightly upon his finger, a blinding blue light dancing ghostly inside the deep blue stone. She could hear its low whispers as the faint blue glow seemed to wrap around the Elf-Lord's hand, filtrating inside his skin like an enchanted spirit, almost as if the powerful ring refused to release its master from its grasp.

She watched as Elladan reached his father's side in less than a second, and heard Glorfindel quickly saying something in elvish to the elder twin. Without stopping to answer the golden warrior, Elladan sat on the edge of the couch, one hand quickly grabbing his father's as his other hand moved to the Elf-Lord's forehead and travelled down to his cheek.

"Ada?" Elladan's voice was insistent, commanding, as his desperate eyes looked down at the shaking Elf-Lord. "Ada, look at me."

Lord Elrond opened his eyes to gaze into his son's equal pair of silver eyes before closing them again in exhaustion. She saw Elladan exchange a look with Glorfindel, silver eyes wide in alarm. The Balrog Slayer turned to the dark haired elf next to him and gave some instruction in elvish before the latter hurried away across the room.

Elerrina moved to push herself up into a sitting position and the elf standing next to her quickly moved to her aid, helping her upright. Elladan's eyes turned in her direction for split second before returning his attention back to his father.

"Thank you" She breathed out to the strange elf who had remained at her side, even though she could see his blue eyes darting in the direction of his Lord every two seconds.

The elf nodded his head in reply as he eyed her frantically, almost seeming to fear she would suddenly drop dead in front of him.

"Do you need anything, my Lady?" She shook her head softly as a response, not feeling good enough to want to start a conversation. The dark haired elf nodded his head again, and she let her attention focus once more on what was happening across the room.

The other elf she could not recognize had quickly returned to the Elf-Lord's side carrying a glass full of water. She saw him handing Elladan the glass, who gently lifted his father's head with a hand and carefully moved the glass near his lips.

Lord Elrond, however, rolled his head to the side as one trebling hand rose to push the glass away, silently refusing the offer. Elladan did not insist and immediately removed the glass from the Elf-Lord's lips, depositing it back on the strange elf's waiting hands, who seemed to be at a loss of what to do.

Suddenly, the finely crafted door was thrown open and Elrohir hurried into the study, followed closely by the healer Selemar, and Erestor.

"Thank you, Nadhordir, you may be dismissed." Erestor's gentle blue eyes pierced the elf dutifully standing by her side, his voice incredibly serene and yet highly authoritative.

"But my Lord Ellad-

"I will watch over Lady Elerrina. I am sure Lord Elladan has no objection." Added the Chief Advisor, quick in understanding the young elf's confusion and hesitation.

The dark haired elf, Nadhordir from what she had heard, quickly bowed his head in respect before exiting the large room, openly relieved to be dismissed. Elladan had acted as if he had not heard the interchange between the two elves, his eyes focused on his approaching mirror image. Her eyes caught the sight of the other strange elf standing next to Glorfindel, also looking at the dark haired Advisor, eyes almost pleading for an order to follow.

"Lhainor, please guard the door. Send message that my Lord Elrond is not to be disturbed"

Erestor's eyes glanced shortly at the other dark haired elf, who instantly nodded his head and headed out the door without questioning. The advisor swiftly closed the finely crafted door behind the elf, sealing them secure from any possible listening ears.

The faint rays of pale sunlight dashed through the tall windows, tinting the room in dark oranges as the somber night still battled its inevitable end. Somehow, the promise of the rising sun gave her a slight hope, as if the golden light of day could make everything suddenly be nothing more than a haunting nightmare. But it was not true. She knew that the sun would rise, but day would not come.

Selemar had quickly set to work, hands expertly moving over the Elf-Lord's pale figure, checking his pulse and temperature. From the experienced look in the blond healer's honey colored eyes, she suddenly had the feeling that this was not the first time he treated such a happening.

For the first time, silence settled in the large study, as none of the elves dared to share their thoughts in the presence of the healer. Her eyes caught the twins exchanging a long glance, but they too remained silent. The still air felt heavier in the dim light of dawn, and yet she did not want to hear what information Glorfindel or Erestor might want to find out. Instead, she watched in tensed silence as the healer placed a cool wet cloth over the Elf-Lord's forehead and eyes, handing Elrohir a steaming cup before rising again to his feet.

"I can do nothing more. There is no physical injury to treat." Selemar said flatly, his eyes darting from Elladan to Elrohir.

It was evident in his honey colored eyes that he ignored the reason of his Lord's collapse, but he did not ask. The younger twin merely nodded his head in response and the blond healer bowed his head before silently heading out of the room.

The sound of the door as it closed felt like a loud drum in the still air. For a moment, the only sound inside the room was Lord Elrond's heavy breathing as he reached a trembling hand to the cloth over his forehead, pressing it tighter against his skin. She could not help to feel sympathetic. Her own head throbbed, although now only very dully, and she did not want to imagine torturing migraine the Elf-Lord must have been suffering after the long mental battle.

Elladan was the first to move, making his way to where she sat in graceful quick steps as Elrohir replaced him at the edge of the couch. She rose to her feet just as Elladan reached her side and he wrapped one arm around her, as if ready to catch her should she fall. His eyes turned to look at hers questioningly, silver orbs silently asking if she was all right. She let her eyes answer for her, letting him feel through their bond instead of using concrete words.

Without saying anything, Elladan guided them towards the cushioned seats by the fire, across from the couch. Gently, he pushed her down onto a seat as he sat on it's armrest, to her left. She immediately felt Glorfindel's eyes fixed on her and she focused her own eyes on Elrohir's figure in front of her, not wanting to meet the powerful blue gaze. Elladan's hand absently travelled to her back, rubbing small circles there although his eyes remained centered on his father.

"What happened?" Erestor was the first to speak, alert eyes fixing on Glorfindel as they exchanged a long look.

"I am not certain" Was the golden haired warrior's answer as he moved to sit on the couch's armrest. "He was searching over the valley, but something must have attacked him for he called on the ring."

"You were pulled in it also?" Erestor's wary eyes turned to look in her direction, his words more of a statement than a question. Unable to look away, Elerrina nodded her head in confirmation.

"Only for a moment" Elladan answered for her, and Erestor's deep blue eyes turned in his direction before nodding his head.

"Orcs roam the borders" Every pair of eyes turned at the unexpected weak voice coming from the couch. The Elf-Lord did not move, one hand still pressed over his forehead and eyes as he spoke, taking a long deep breath before continuing. "Four of the Nazgul wait by the Bruinen. They have attempted to cross three times now."

"Four?!" The alert in Glorfindel's voice was evident. "I believed we only had two coming after us."

"Orcs are still around then? They never left." Added Erestor as his narrowed eyes turned to meet Glorfindel's. "Do you think they will come into the valley?" His eyes turned again to look at the Elf-Lord, but Lord Elrond had gone silent once again.

"The defenses at the Bruinen are down. You cannot possibly flood the river in your state. How long do you think it will take them to figure that out?" Glordinfel's soft blue eyes looked alarmed at he also stared down at the Lord of Imladris.

"Ada, drink some tea." She watched as Elrohir carefully lowered the steaming cup to his father's lips, and the Elf-Lord took only a couple of small sips before softly pushing the cup away.

"Do you think the orcs are coming back for you?" Elladan's voice almost took her by surprise, and she turned her face to look at him, finding his silver eyes locked on his father's still figure.

"They will come. But it is not me they seek." The Elf-Lord answered as he pushed himself up, Glorfindel and Elrohir quickly helping him sit, sliding some cushions behind his back.

"Eru" sighed Lord Elrond as his hand flew once again to his head.

"The tea will help" Said Glorfindel almost in a scowling tone, and Elerrina was sure that had it not been for the cloth covering his eyes, the Elf-Lord would have glared at his Seneschal.

"They want Vilya. They think you do not have it. They think…"Elrohir stopped in mid-thought as his eyes suddenly turned to look at her. She felt her blood grow cold as her body froze in place, already knowing the unsaid end of the sentence.

"They think Elerrina has the ring. And they know she is here." Glorfindel was the one to finish the thought, his soft blue eyes suddenly piercing through hers, concerned. And, for the first time, she felt that the golden haired warrior did not think her a threat against his Lord, did not disapprove of her.

"But she does not have it. They will not find it if they come for her." Elrohir continued, silver eyes hopefully looking at his father.

"Of course they will." The Elf-Lord reached a trembling hand and slowly removed the cloth from his forehead, silver eyes opening to stare directly at her. His piercing silver eyes were now merely a dull grey, weariness easily visible in their stormy depths. And yet, the power inside them remained strong as ever, pulling her like magnets.

"It does not matter whether or not she carries the ring. It is already part of her. She does not need to have it to use it…she _is_ the ring. Taking her would be exactly the same as cutting Vilya from your finger." Glrofindel's voice floated in sourly in the air, which now felt haunted to her, the pale sunrays suddenly seeming so distant.

"No." The Elf-Lord's eyes continued to pierce her own green ones, his words directed at her.

"You are indeed linked to the ring. You share the same essence…you are one with it. My connection to Vilya is different. It is constantly battling with own spirit, merging with me, answering to me. It will not answer anyone else and cannot be removed from my finger unless by my own hand or cut off. I am its master. It consumes me, Elerrina. The more I call on it and the longer it stays on my finger, the deeper it penetrates into my soul. My fate is already attached to it. The same happens to the other bearers."

The air had gone completely still as the words hung in the tensed atmosphere. The Elf-Lord's weary eyes continued to pierce her, and she felt as if she finally comprehended what it meant to wield a ring a power. The other elves' eyes were fixed on them, darting from the Elf-Lord to her, serious, watchful. Lord Elrond took a steadying breath before continuing.

"Celebrimbor forged the rings of power. Nine for the men. Seven for the dwarves. Three for the elves. But Sauron forged one more ring in secret. The One Ring. One ring to rule them all. All of the rings answer to his one, with no exception. He tried to collect the rings, and thus the nine and the seven fell into his hands, their bearers prisoners of the darkness. But the three were never touched, they are uncorrupted. He never found them. Unless the three found, its bearers cannot fall into the darkness, but, if the One is found, we will all succumb to its power."

"I do not know the extent of your connection to Vilya. Nor do I know if said connection also exists as well with the other rings. But finding you means at least finding Vilya…and if Vilya is found, it will take me with it…and through me the eye can find the other two bearers. That is what it is trying to do. Find the three. But most of all, he is trying to find the One."

The room grew silent again, the forgotten fire slowly dying at the fireplace. Elladan's hand had stopped rubbing circles on her back, and instead was now wrappedover her shoulders, as if refusing to let her go. Elrohir was the first to speak this time.

"Then, if the eye finds you, Ada, the same will happen the other way around, and Elerrina will fall along with you?"

"I do not believe so. The other rings have already fallen, and yet that has not affected her. But there is no way of being certain of what could happen. However, I do believe that, by sharing this connection with Vilya, she will also succumb under the One. It rules her as much as it rules the other rings."

The Elf-Lord's eyes did not leave hers as he answered his youngest son.

"You posses powerful magic, Elerrina. It is both a blessing and a curse. You have to be very careful, now. The eye will try to find you. You have not yet been seen, and that is why you cannot stay here for now. I cannot hide you anymore. It is time for you face your fate, and become who you were born…test your limits, know your power. I am not the one who can explain things to you. Your father is the one who knows the extent of your powers. Or at least that is what I think. You have to leave before they come."

Suddenly she felt as if her whole body had been turned into stone. The words reached her ears, but her brain refused to process them. All she could do was stare back into the powerful silver gaze of the Lord of Imladris, feeling empty, detached from reality. Then, the Elf-Lord's eyes quickly turned to Elladan, eyebrows furrowed under sharp eyes.

"Take her with you." The Elf-Lord said, his tone now completely serious as his eyes burned with the weight of his words. "Elrohir, you too." He added with a quick glance at the younger twin before turning back to look at his eldest. "This is your window. The Nazgul cannot ride under light, stay under the sun, go as far as you can go before night falls."

"Where to?" Elladan asked quickly, not questioning the order, and she could his hand on her shoulder tightening his grip on her.

"Mirkwood. I will send message ahead of you. Thranduil will be waiting for you there. Tell Legolas to go with you, he knows the woods the best. Leave as soon as you can."

"Only the four of them?" Erestor inquired suddenly in a warning tone. "Should it not be safer to send an escort with them?"

"The less in number, the easier it will be for them to move unnoticed." The Elf-Lord answered matter-of-factly. He then returned the cool wet cloth to his forehead as he leaned back on the chair taking a deep breath. "Glorfindel, have the warriors ready, make a line at the borders. Send ladies and elflings to the caves by the cliffs. Be ready in case anything happens. The Valar know I cannot call on Vilya to raise a defense right now."

Both of the twins had already jumped to their feet, Elladan gently pulling her up before rushing out of the room. She did not turn back as she heard the Elf-Lord give some more instructions to Erestor as they exited through the door. Elladan's arm was still wrapped around her shoulder, his silver eyes hard and determined, burning with adrenaline as he stared at front. Suddenly the safe bubble around her had burst, and realization of what her connection with the ring truly meant hit her. She had to flee from Imladris before she was found. The only consolation that she held onto as she followed the twins through the halls was that wherever she was headed to, Elladan was going with her.

Here is chapter 45! It's a little bit longer, but I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think of it, your comments are deeply appreciated, they really mean a lot.

Thanks again to my wonderful reviewers: xingxing724, Martine9295, booklover1498, Coco99, MinNinniach, AmazingWriter123, Elf sister, Paperlanters86, and Wtiger5. Thank you for each and single one of your comments!

Love,

Elena


	46. Looking Behind

Her heart drummed loudly against her chest as they ran through the corridors of the house. She felt her body charged with adrenaline, making her forget her fear. There was no time to be scared, they needed to act. Elladan's hand held hers tightly, almost dragging her after him up a large staircase, Elrohir by his side.

"Elladan! Elrohir!" Her head immediately turned towards the sound of the familiar voice, and her eyes quickly caught the image of the handsome elven prince running in their direction. Infinite blue eyes shone with alarm as he easily caught up with them. "I heard the wind. What happened?"

The usually kind and serene blue eyes were suddenly stronger now, more alive, and she could see that he clearly knew something was amiss and he would not be easily fooled. Both of the twins quickly turned to look at him, never stopping their run, equal pairs of silver eyes penetrating deeply into Legola's infinite blue ones. Something in their serious silver eyes told her that their friendship ran deeper than it seemed, and that both of the twins would trust Legolas with their lives.

"We will explain it on our way." Elrohir was the one to speak, his words rushing out of his mouth as they rounded yet another corner. His silver eyes pierced Legolas and she could see reflected in his light blue ones that he immediately understood he was involved in their plan. "We have to leave now. Orcs and four of the Nazgul are in the borders. They will come possibly for Elerrina. Get anything you need ready as soon as possible. We are going to Mirkwood."

Legolas quickly nodded his head, eyes narrowed in understanding, as he seemed to accept the little information received at the moment. Suddenly she had the feeling that he knew a deeper power dwelled in the peaceful Valley of Imladris, even if he did not know exactly what.

"How are we getting out of the Valley if the Bruinen is being watched?" Something different shone in the endless depths of the prince's light blue eyes, a new sparkle she had not yet seen: the wit and quickness of the trained warrior she knew he was.

"There is a path through the cliffs. It will take us far enough to leave the valley unnoticed." This time Elladan was the one to answer, and she wondered if the twins took turns answering questions, or participating in a conversation. Legolas nodded his head again, his eyes holding the slightest twinge of excitement, and she could tell that he had not known of the path before.

"Calardan!" Elladan suddenly exclaimed, and a dark haired elf that had passed down the hallway suddenly halted, turning around quickly to face them. "Please ready our horses, we are departing immediately."

"Yes, my Lord." The familiar dark haired elf nodded his head quickly, anxious wide eyes staring at the both of the twins with a slight glint of admiration. Immediately, he set to a run down the hall, wasting no time in questioning the sons of Elrond.

"I will meet you at the main courtyard" said Legolas as he turned suddenly and disappeared through a corridor at their left; the one she knew led to his chambers.

Seconds later she found herself following Elladan as he entered through the finely crafted door that led to his bedchamber, Elrohir disappearing into his own. The familiarity of the brightly lighted room decorated in pale gold made a heavy feeling grow inside her chest. She would sorely miss this room.

"Sit down" Elladan whispered gently as he led her to the large bed, softly pushing down onto the pale gold covers. Elerrina obeyed without arguing, heart aching at the thread of worry that lingered in his silver eyes. She knew she was still somewhat weary, even though she felt almost completely fine by now, but nonetheless she did not want to give him more things to worry over.

She let her eyes follow his every move as he dashed around the room. Every single one of his movements was graceful, long dark hair seeming to float behind him as he turned. She watched him walk towards a large wooden wardrobe and take out a simple, yet beautiful, light grey tunic embroidered in silver and wine red thread, quickly replacing the one he had been wearing.

Suddenly his lips curved up in a smirk for a fragment of a second before he continued to put on his boots. She raised a questioning eyebrow, but before he could say anything Elrohir burst into the room through the door that connected directly with his own. A light laugh escaped her lips in comprehension at the sight of the younger twin in exactly the same light grey tunic that his elder brother wore.

"You _had_ to pick that tunic" Commented Elrohir in fake annoyance as he walked towards his mirror image, unable to contain his grin.

"I picked first" Added Elladan grinning in return, silver eyes sparkling with mischief as his slender fingers started to comb through his hair. Elrohir only chuckled in response, his eyes as playful as his twin's, making her smile at the sight.

"Is my cloak in here?" Asked Elrohir, hands looking through his twin's open wardrobe.

"In the back." She heard Elladan answer without turning his head.

"Found it"

Without waiting for an answer, Elrohir strode once again into his bedchamber closing the door behind him, a dark blue cloak held on his hand. Elladan's soft chuckles echoed inside the room, making her smile widen, unable to take her eyes from him. It seemed amazing how easily they could make the air feel lighter, and bad things seem distant and irrelevant.

"Does that happen regularly? You picking out the same clothing?" She asked rising from the bed and slowly walking to where he stood. His eyes turned to meet hers, endless pools of liquid silver penetrating into her very soul.

"More often than you can imagine." He answered as she took the silver comb from his hands and motioned for him to sit on a wooden chair near a small table. "Sometimes we change. And sometimes, like today, we could not care less."

She guided the comb softly down his long strands of dark hair, letting her fingers slide through the silky strands every once in while, gently untangling them. She watched his silver eyes close at her touch, lips curving up in the faintest of smiles as he sat in silence. For a moment, she wished for time to stop, wished to be frozen like that forever, softly combing through his hair while she watched his face relax, completely devoid of any worry.

Way sooner than she had wanted, she was done, his hair neatly falling over his shoulders and down his back. She let her fingers tenderly brush through the front strands framing his face, softly placing them behind his ears. Then she leaned her face next to his, her lips nearly brushing his ear as she whispered in an almost inaudible voice.

"I am not good at braiding" His eyes opened at her words, looking at her through their corners as his lips curved up in a wide smile. She placed a light kiss on his cheek and placed the silver comb back into his outstretched hand.

Just then the large wooden door opened softly, and her head turned just in time to see as Arwen gracefully danced into the room, eyes fixed on Elladan. A very familiar cloak was securely held in her hands, pale green fabric glowing faintly under the golden sunlight of early morning. It was the cloak Elladan had given her as a gift not too long ago.

"I thought you might want this, Elerrina" Arwen's voice echoed through the room like wind chimes as she neatly laid the cloak over the bed before walking to where they were.

The Evenstar's grey-blue eyes looked sad as she stared at her eldest brother, one hand taking the silver comb from his without asking. Elladan did not say anything, but offered the beautiful lady a small, yet sad smile as her expert fingers started pulling his hair back, perfectly braiding it in neat, tender moves. The way in which her fingers carefully moved through the dark strands gave her the feeling that it was some sort of habit for Arwen to braid her brother's hair.

"Ada says you are leaving." She said as she tied the last braid behind his head. There was a twinge of pain in her voice that made her feel suddenly sad and guilty. "You and Ro only just returned."

"I know" Elladan rose from the chair, turning around to face the fair face of his only sister. He placed his hands on Arwen's shoulders and pressed his lips to her forehead. The dark haired lady smiled softly in return, a sad, pained smile that never reached her eyes.

"You two used to stay for longer when I was little." A hint of melancholy in Arwen's voice made her own eyes turn to look at the floor.

"You used to beg us to stay. I had to carry you in tears back to your room and promise a very long and detailed bed time story for you to let us go." Elladan's voice made her eyes automatically travelled to look at him. Arwen chuckled lightly at the memory, her eyes turning to meet her brother's as she straightened the hem of his tunic.

"Are you planning on returning to Lórien again?" This time it was Elladan's voice the once edged with sadness and Arwen smiled apologetically.

"Yes. I cannot stay here for long." Elladan simply nodded his head in understanding, but said nothing more.

"Dan, please be careful" Arwen's eyes pleaded into her brother's silver ones and he pulled her into a hug, placing a kiss atop her head before letting go.

"I will go help Ro with his hair." Said the Evenstar with a bright smile. "You too take care, Elerrina. I will miss you." She felt a faint smile grow at the unexpected words.

"I will miss you too." Was all she managed to say and Arwen smiled brightly at her before turning around and disappearing into Elrohir's room.

"Are you ready?" Elladan's voice asked her softly as he secured a thick cloak over his shoulders with a silver pin. The dark blue shade of the thick, warm fabric contrasted beautifully against his pale skin, his silver eyes shining like moon beams in a night sky.

"I have nothing to pack with me." She answered with a smile as she grabbed her own cloak from the bed along with the breath-taking pin that used to be his.

He took the garment from her hands and gently wrapped it around her shoulders, carefully securing it with the pin. His eyes sparkled at her as the smile on his lips widened. Then he took one of her hands in his and softly spun her around, only managing for a light laugh to escape her lips in return.

Slender fingers delicately brushed a lock of golden hair from her face as she returned to face him. His silver eyes stared deeply into hers and she was once again lost in their trapping depths, feeling his worry and fear about the journey to come.

"How is your head?" He asked, one hand travelling to rest on her cheek.

"Better now" It was partially true. Her headache had considerably lessened by now, but the constant throbbing was still there, although she knew it would eventually fade. He seemed to understand the meaning of her words for his eyes looked pained as he smiled faintly.

"Perhaps you should sit down, Rina." He said as he gently pushed her again onto the pale gold covers of the bed, this time sitting down by her side. His eyes did not seem to leave her figure, they looked so pained, so worried that she knew his mind was still plagued by her sudden collapse. This time had been the worst of all, and she knew he desperately wanted nothing more than to tell her to rest, but there was no time for resting now.

She did not object, granting him as little comfort and peace as she could. Instead, she let her head fall to rest on his shoulder, and one of his arms instinctively curled around her, rubbing her arm soothingly. She felt her heart sink to the ground as her eyes travelled once again around the room. She struggled to memorize every object, every detail; the way in which the beams of sunlight made the pale gold fabric seem to glow; the large wooden bookcase holding many worn out books, none of which she could read; how the gentle chilled breeze entered through the large balcony overviewing the entire valley. She would miss Imladris every second she was away from it.

Too soon, Elrohir entered the piece, dressed in the same tunic and cloak as his twin, making it almost impossible to tell them apart.

"We should hurry."

Elladan stood at his twin's words, and she followed his example. Seconds later they were once again strolling down the halls and staircases, both of the twins now completely dressed in their travelling garments, swords hanging from their waists. They looked like identical copies, and she was sure very few in the house would be able to know which twin was which.

News of the approaching danger at the borders and the Elf-Lord's sudden and unexplained collapse had quickly flown through the house. Elves were starting fill the corridors, giving and following instructions, but neither of the twins paid any attention to them.

Suddenly, the twins stopped, nearly making her run into Elrohir's back. When she looked up, she found Glorfindel and Lord Elrond exiting the large study at that precise moment. The Elf-Lord's eyes immediately turned to his sons, taking in their appearances as he eyed each of them carefully, the same twinge of sadness she had seen in Arwen's eyes present in his silver ones. He still looked pale and weary, although not nearly as pale as he had only moments ago. She noticed that one of Glorfindel's hands was pressed on the Elf-Lord's back, discretely making sure that the Lord of Imladris would not suddenly fall.

"We are departing now, Ada" said Elrohir as he looked directly at his father's eyes. The Elf-Lord nodded his head in reply.

"Be safe, my sons." The Elf-Lord's voice was soft as his silver eyes seemed to penetrate his sons', and she could see that letting them go was harder to him than what she would have thought. Then his eyes turned to look at her but the deep piercing stare she expected never came. Instead, his eyes were tender, their usual kindness ever present, but this time his eyes were not the eyes of the mighty Lord of Imladris, but the eyes of a father.

"You are always welcome here in Imladris, Elerrina." His voice remained soft, and for a moment, she remained rooted in her place, not knowing what to answer, how to act. She wanted to say so many things, but her voice did not seem to answer her.

Instead, she did what she had never imagined herself doing. She would never know from where she got the impulse, or the courage, but without a warning she threw her arms around the Elf-Lord, burying her face in the fine fabric of his dress robes.

He jumped slightly, surprised by her sudden action, but wrapped his arms around her in return. She did not know what she had been expecting, but the embrace felt more comforting than anything she could have asked for at the moment. She felt like a child again, safe in the arms of this majestic, respected historical figure, and for a moment she wondered if this was how the twins had felt as elflings, if they too had sought comfort in the fine silk of their father's elegant robes.

"Thank you." Was all she managed to say, all of her thoughts, all of her feelings resumed in those two simple words, her voice muffled by his robes. She could not even point out exactly what she was thanking him for. For receiving her in his house? For secretly looking over her as she grew up? For hiding her and pushing her out of the awful attack that morning? For having such wonderful sons, and sending them to escort her safely back to her homeland? She could not tell. He did not say anything in return, but no words were needed.

After a short moment, she let go, feeling slightly embarrassed, but not regretting her action. The Elf-Lord smiled softly at her, a true smile that reached his wise, kind grey eyes, and she noticed that she had never seen him truly smiling before. His smiles always seemed to carry certain sadness in them, certain melancholy, never truly touching his eyes. Without saying anything else, he nodded his head at the three of them, granting one final look at his sons before slowly continuing down the hallway, Glorfindel closely by his side, watchful.

The twins immediately continued their march, not adding a single word as they moved quickly down more staircases. In a matter of seconds, they were finally stepping into the large main courtyard. The cold air of the early winter morning hit her face like knives, feeling incredibly hostile in comparison to the warm interiors of the house.

Her eyes quickly spotted Calardan who waited for them with the reins of a horse in each hand. Legolas was already there, gracefully sitting over his beautiful white horse. A smile grew on her face as she remembered riding on that elegant animal. The blond prince seemed to be thinking the same for he smiled widely as his eyes turned to meet hers.

"Would you like to ride with me?" Asked Legolas, his mouth twitching in a smirk.

"Not a chance" Elladan answered before she could say anything, and she laughed at the elder twin's quick reply. Legolas had been expecting this for he too laughed, getting the exact reaction he had aimed for. True, she loved her brother dearly, but she would choose to ride with Elladan.

In one swift movement, she felt herself hoisted from the ground and onto the back of a horse as Elladan gracefully mounted behind her, arms holding the reins at either side of her. Elrohir stepped close by their side, already on top on his horse.

"You just made Adar's day" The younger twin commented, his eyes sparkling mischievously at her as he grinned widely. She laughed and shook her head in reply. She had known there would be no way neither of the twins would tease her about that, especially Elrohir.

"Day? His whole year I would say." Added Elladan and she quickly turned around to glare playfully at him, surprised when he quickly kissed her lips as she turned to face him. "I swear he will not hesitate to throw Elrohir at you should you get tired of me"

She heard Legolas and Elrohir laughing loudly as they set for a run, not wasting any more of their precious time. She laughed along with them, smiling to herself as she felt one of Elladan's arms wrap securely around her waist.

"Rest for a moment." He whispered lowly in her ear, the leafless trees already flying past them in a grey blur as the iced wind tangled her golden locks of hair. The bright sunlight shone safely over them and she let her tired body relax slightly against Elladan. She knew they were safe from the riders. Their only worry was the large number of orcs that roamed near the borders, they were the ones they needed to be careful about.

She let her eyes throw one last look at the shrinking image of the Valley of Imladris, disappearing slowly from their view. Rivendell had been left behind, and there would be no coming back for some time. It seemed her departure had come sooner than she had expected. Pain flared through her heart as the place that had become her home faded into the distance.

The hardest part would be crossing the river. She could see that the twins were not heading towards the place where the Bruinen was usually crossed, but farther upriver, starting a long ascent through the smooth grey rocks. The vivid waters of the rivers were faintly visible in the distance and she knew that for now, they would not get any closer.

Suddenly, a chorus of blood curling cries echoed in the cold air. She sat up straight again, senses suddenly awakened. She felt Elladan tense behind her, and Legolas' eyes quickly scanned the forest around them. The orcs sounded closer to them than she had imagined they would be. Silently, she prayed that they had not yet discovered the river was defenseless, she prayed that they had not already crossed.

"How far away is the path?" Legolas' voice was carried in the iced wind as his face turned to face Elladan, eyes burning with concentration, alarm and adrenaline.

"Not far. We have to climb. If we make it to the entrance they will not follow." Answered Elladan quickly, his body inclining forward, closer to hers, coaxing the horse to ride faster. Elrohir rode closely to their right, eyes focused on front as he too leaned forward on his own horse.

Just at that moment, a black arrow flew right in front of her face, missing her by inches, landing into a thick tree trunk…

Here is chapter 46! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think of it!

Thanks to all of you who reviewed my latest chapter: SarahWeasley, Coco99, Martine9295, Paperlanterns86, Elf sister, Wtiger5, CeffylGwyn, Oleanne, luckyponygirl, booklover1498, ILoveEomer 3, and jibril. It feels wonderful to have readers like you!

Love,

Elena


	47. Race Against Time

All of her senses seemed to sharpen. Every color, every shape, seemed to be clearer to her eyes, her ears able to catch even the faintest of sounds. The forest flew past her, grey leafless branches sometimes dangerously close to her face, but she managed to duck just in time. Her body appeared to react before her mind, her reflexes intensified by her closeness to danger.

More blood curling cries flew in the iced wind, the sounds making her skin crawl and her heart to race inside her chest. A second arrow followed the first, this time blowing right past Elrohir's right ear. She could hear the faint sound of heavy metal boots drumming on the ground and rocks, and turned her head to glace behind, but another arrow flying by Elladan's shoulder made her quickly turn to the front again.

"Legolas!" She heard Elladan's voice yell right above her left ear as he took a sharp turn to the left in order to evade a tall tree.

Before Elladan had finished saying his name, the blond prince had already drawn an arrow to his bow, seemed to not even look as he released it, sending flying through the air past them. A nasty high-pitched cry, not too far behind, told her that the arrow had met its target. In that split second, Legolas had already sent three more arrows cutting through the wind with a skill she was sure none could match. Three other sickening cries echoed as the arrows hit their target once again.

"Four!" yelled Legolas as he turned around to face the front again, quickly maneuvering around another tree.

His infinite blue eyes sparkled with a vivid sharpness, savoring the excitement and thrill of the chase, but never lowering his guard. Out the corner of her eyes she saw Elrohir's lips curve up in a smirk for a short second, eyes sparkling with defiance, and she could almost feel Elladan's own eyes holding the same spark.

The wind hit her face like cold daggers, slapping her hair on her cheeks and deafening her ears. She could feel Elladan's breathing right over her left ear, his warm breath brushing the skin there, as he held tighter to the reins of the horse. He was hunched protectively over her, strong arms caging her at either side. Any arrow shot form behind stood no chance in reaching her.

She threw a quick glance at Elrohir, and found that he too held a bow in his hands, ready to shoot should the occasion arise. His usually kind silver eyes were once again hard, burning with a hidden fire, a deep sharp hatred that made her own heart ache. She knew the iced hatred and remorse that the twins held against those fowl, heartless creatures and was sure that the younger twin would not hesitate to slain the first orc that dared cross his path.

The cries had stopped momentarily, and she guessed that the four orcs that had found them had already fallen to Legolas' arrows. Yet, she knew that they were far from safe. In the distance, she could hear more orcs running through the forest, and silently prayed that they would make it to the passage before a larger group found them.

The rocks had become larger now, and the horses' pace had considerably slowed as they climbed the difficult ascent through the uneven ground. Elrohir rode at front, expertly knowing his way through the rocks, and she could tell that even though he usually chose to stand behind Elladan, he was as capable as his elder brother in taking the lead.

Every now and then her eyes caught sight of shimmering water, and she noticed that a small stream that branched from the mighty Bruinen ran just next to them. Small creeks dripped from the rocks as they moved, the stones so large they somehow started to create open caves around them. The vegetation had become scarce, leaving them almost completely visible, hidden only by the large rocks as they moved.

A series of more cries echoed in the distance, sending shivers down her spine, the sounds feeling like poison to her body. The cries were louder, chocking at some times as they merged with harsh noises of a fiery battle. A group of orcs had met some elven warriors already. Neither of the twins turned to glance behind although she felt Elladan tense only slightly behind her.

Movement at the corner of her eyes caught her attention. She turned her head and her heart accelerated dangerously as she caught sight of three of the nasty creatures running parallel to them, jumping over the rocks in an attempt to catch up with them. A scream died inside her throat as yet another arrow flew past her left ear but before she could react Elrohir had already released an arrow. The arrow hit a large rock with a muted sound as one of the orcs quickly ducked behind it.

Elrohir shot again, but the orcs where quick in hiding, the rocky landscape working at their advantage. To her left, she saw Legolas releasing more arrows into the wind, also smashing into rocks. The orc's black arrows rained over them as Elrohir and Legolas shot in return. Although Elladan also carried a bow, she knew that he could not use it with her sitting in front of him. A loud cry reached her ears just as Elrohir released yet another arrow.

"One!" She heard the younger twin yell with a smirk as he ducked just in time under a flying black arrow.

Elladan suddenly pushed her down, ducking over her just as another black arrow flew this time over their heads, missing them by inches. The two orcs remaining continued to shoot at them, but Legolas and the twins moved faster than the arrows, narrowly evading them.

More cries echoed in the distance, along with the sickening sound of metal hitting metal. Another battle had started somewhere in the forest, this time farther away than the first one. A cold feeling ran through her veins and she felt as if her blood had turned into ice. The orcs seemed to be spread all over the forest, attacking by surprise in small groups rather than as a large one. She knew that way it would be easier for at least one group to run into them as they tried to flee. There was no way of knowing where the groups were spread.

Another arrow buzzed past her face, Elladan turning the horse to the right just in time for it to miss them. Elrohir and Legolas had pressed closer to them, at either side, bows already shooting more arrows that slammed into cold hard stones. She watched as Elrohir released yet another arrow and another high-pitched cry echoed in response.

"Two!" she heard the younger twin yell and her eyes widened in shock and disbelief, as she finally understood what the numbers meant.

"You are counting the orcs you kill?!" She yelled back, her voice not masking her shock and slight anger at their game. It was unbelievable.

However, her words were only met by a sudden grunt from Elladan on her left ear, his body sharply tensing as she felt a wave of excruciating pain suddenly assault her for only a split second before disappearing. She felt heart skip a beat and her eyes widen in terror. She quickly turned to face him, eyes frantically studying him.

"Dan!" She breathed out in fright, her voice almost inaudible as she searched his eyes. She knew something was wrong.

"Five!" She heard Legolas exclaim to their left as the last orc following them fell with a sickening cry.

Elladan did not answer her; his jaw was clenched, breathing hard between gritted teeth. The black shaft of an arrow protruded from his right thigh, crimson blood already starting to ooze from the wound. His silver eyes turned to meet hers for a second, piercing through her, not revealing any of signs of pain. Quickly he turned his concentration once again to the front, guiding the horse through the uneven land. Elrohir rushed close to their left, his horse almost touching Elladan's as he ran parallel to them.

"Are you all right?" Elrohir's voice was raised over the deafening cold wind as they ran. The daring look in his silver eyes had been replaced by a new, alarmed one, eyes burning into his brother, a combination of ire at the orcs and fear transparent in their depths.

"Yes" Elladan managed to answer between clenched teeth, quickly turning to eye his twin. Elrohir nodded in response, alert hard eyes turning once again to the front as he moved the horse to position himself ahead of them. She could tell that Elrohir had precise knowledge of his twin's injury, and felt that his words had meant to ask if he could continue or needed to stop.

Another orc crept by their left, but before she could even see it, an arrow pierced through his neck, not even giving the nasty creature time to cry out.

"Three" She heard Elrohir mutter, a new fire burning in his cold steel eyes, his hatred seeming to be intensified.

Elerrina wrapped both of her hands around Elladan's, over the reins of the horse, as she centered on channeling as much support as she could through their bond, attempting to ease some of the pain she knew he was feeling. Elladan's body did not relax, but she felt his hands holding tighter to hers around the reins.

Suddenly Elrohir halted, jumping down from his horse in a quick graceful move. Not even a second later Elladan had also halted, and her eyes turned to Legolas just as he too jumped from his horse. They were instantly by her and Elladan's side, her brother taking her by the hand as she jumped to the ground. Elrohir took Elladan's hand helping down and lessening the impact with which his feet landed on the ground. Elladan's eyes closed shut in obvious pain as his right foot touched the rocky ground, and she saw him quickly shift his weight to his left leg.

"Set him down"

Elrohir's eyes threw her a look and immediately she moved to Elladan's side, replacing the younger twin at holding Elladan's right arm for support. Elrohir moved to their horses, and Legolas quickly stepped to Elladan's left side. Slowly they helped him as he limped to large cliff wall, sliding down to sit on the cold hard rock, another large stone sheltering them from any view. She could hear Elrohir whispering in elvish to the horses, but did not turn to look, all of her attention on Elladan.

The elder twin had not let go of her hand, and she gave his a gentle squeeze before lowering herself to sit next to him. Her heart still raced, and her senses where still sharp, aware for any sign of approaching danger.

Elrohir returned a second later, quickly kneeling on the ground to his twin's right. She glanced behind her back to find the three horses running away, returning through the forest.

"Did you send them back to Imladris?" Legolas asked softly, his eyes looking directly at Elrohir.

"No. They will meet us at the end of the passage, they know their way through the main road." Elrohir spoke without lifting his eyes as he carefully examined the wound in Elladan's thigh. The latter had remained silent, eyes closed shut as he breathed heavily. She could see that it was not a lethal wound, but it sure was painful.

"Will the orcs not follow them?" Legolas insisted

"Perhaps. Let us hope they do not. Either way, it is better than venturing all the way to Mirkwood without horses. And if we take the main road we will surely be followed. They know they are looking for a lady. The majority of the arrows were aimed at her." Elrohir answered as he nodded in her direction.

The younger twin let out a sigh as his eyes turned to look at his twin's face, silver orbs pained and determined. More cries and metal boots could be heard in the near perimeter, getting dangerously closer.

"Elladan" The elder twin's eyes opened quickly at the serious tone of his brother's voice, silver meeting silver. "I am going to break the shaft. There is no time to stitch the wound here, so I will not pull the head out."

Elladan nodded his head in understanding, not saying anything else as he took a deep stabilizing breath. She felt completely useless, only hoping that he would be able to feel her through their bond, or at least draw some comfort from her presence. Not knowing what to do she moved closer to him, her hand squeezing his tighter.

"Hold him still" She heard Elrohir mutter to Legolas, and not even a second later, the blond price's hands were securely placed at either side of the wound, holding the leg in place. Elladan did not move in protest, his face a perfect mask, but she could see the faintest glint of fear in his eyes as he braced himself for the coming pain.

In one quick confident movement the black shaft cracked broken, Elrohir acting incredibly fast, as to not even give his twin time to think. Elladan's face instantly contoured in agony, groaning as his silver eyes sealed shut and his head buried heavily against her shoulder. She could feel his body tensing from the pain, fingers nearly digging into the hard rock and she let her free arm wrap around his trembling body, stroking a long strand of dark hair. The worst of the pain lasted only a moment, and soon she felt his muscles start to slowly relax, his breaths coming out in gasps.

Elrohir's eyes had never left his brother, watching intently. The pain in his eyes was so intense, so agonizing that she did not know which twin suffered the most at the moment: the one causing the pain or the one receiving it. However, Elrohir did not let his emotions get in the way, and continued to act quickly, saving their precious time before more orcs found them.

"Legolas, grab some bandages to stop some of the bleeding." She watched as her brother quickly did as told, returning to Elrohir with a roll of clean white bandages. With expert hands, the younger twin wrapped his brother's thigh around the remaining arrow's head as best as he could. Elladan had remained still, his head still pressed tightly against her shoulder.

"Dan, we must hurry" Elrohir's voice was gentle, apologetic yet insistent as he pulled his twin up to stand.

Elladan did not protest, but she saw his jaw clench once again as the slight movement caused a new wave of pain to spread through him. She also stood up, staying close to Elladan just in case her help was needed. She watched in silence as Elrohir slid an arm around his twin's waist, Elladan's own arm wrapping over his shoulder. Elerrina was not sure if she imagined it or not, but she saw a gentle glow spreading from the younger twin to the elder. Slowly, Elladan's breathing became steadier, his body seeming to draw real physical strength from his twin.

"Legolas" She nearly jumped at Elrohir's commanding voice, and Legolas' attentive eyes quickly turned to meet the younger twin. "Do you see the entrance to the path? Up there."

Elrohir tilted his head slightly upwards and she turned her head to look. A narrow opening was visible far up in the tall cliff wall. Her heart beat faster as she saw the dangerous climb ahead, some of the rocks slippery with tiny creeks that fell from one rock to another. Had they not been running from orcs at the moment, she would have enjoyed merely staring at the majestic rocks adorned with the prancing silvery waters.

"I see it" Legolas answered shortly, turning again to look back at Elrohir.

"You go first. Elerrina you follow closely behind him. I will go last."

Legolas nodded his head, and did not wait a second longer as he jumped onto the first rock, a couple of feet over the ground, pulling her up next to him before starting the careful ascent. She followed Legolas closely as instructed, paying excruciating attention to where he placed his hands and legs.

"Can you climb?" She heard Elrohir's soft voice ask his brother, real concern evident in the musical sound. "I will be right behind you."

Elerrina turned to look down for a moment, just as Elladan stepped over the first rock, carefully making his way up with Elrohir at his heels. Knowing that she needed to focus, she turned her eyes to Legolas once more, stretching one hand to a higher rock and slowly pulling herself upwards.

The ascent was tricky, having to climb their way over many large rocks and narrow walkways. She silently sent thanks that as an elfling she had many times ventured to the river, and climbed over the rocks by the large waterfall, otherwise she would have been very scared at the moment. Legolas moved carefully, testing every rock to make sure the path he was tracing for the rest was safe, infinite blue eyes flashing in her direction afer every two steps he took.

Her own eyes travelled down to the twins whenever she could spare a look. They were still some distance behind, Elladan moving slowly upwards, breathing heavily with the effort. She could see the bandages in his thigh already soaked with fresh blood, more of the crimson liquid sliding down his leg. Elrohir was only inches behind his twin, watchful eyes fixed steadily on him.

They were nearly half-way up when Elladan stopped. Her heart constricted as she saw him press his forehead against the rock, catching his breath. Elrohir was instantly by his side, one hand on his shoulder and she saw the faint glow once again surround the two mirror images. She knew that the pain from the wound was not the problem, but the amount of blood that continued to ooze from it, especially as he moved. Nonetheless, she also knew that the blood loss was not yet enough to be life threatening.

"Do not stop" She quickly turned to look at Legolas as he spoke, only to find his deep blue eyes penetrating hers, urging her to continue. Focusing once again on her task, she climbed yet over another rock.

Suddenly, an arrow slammed forcefully into the rock, inches from her right hand. She gasped in surprise, and her eyes turned quickly to find the tiny figures of two orcs emerging from the rocks at the distance, aiming at them with more arrows.

Her body seemed to accelerate, climbing faster now, acting almost instinctively as she struggled to get to safety as fast as possible. Out the corner of her eyes she saw an arrow flying down, followed by a pained sickening cry. Her eyes dashed up to find Legolas perched over a rock, bow in hand as he released a second arrow, hitting the only orc remaining.

Not stopping to think, she climbed faster, arms and legs moving out of adrenaline. Her thoughts turned frantically to Elladan and Elrohir, who remained some distance below her, and had to force herself not to distract herself by looking down. It would not do anyone any good. She could already hear more metal boots and high-pitched cries coming from where the two orcs had appeared.

"Quick!" Legolas' voice echoed in the air as he sent another arrow flying down.

Her heart drummed against her chest, her arms seeming to pull her up with a new strenght. Legolas released another arrow before agilely jumping up and continue the climb, moving incredibly fast over the rocks. She followed as quickly as she could, his hand stretching to pull her up whenever she started to fall behind.

More arrows rained over them, slamming into the rock, missing her by inches. Every second or so, Legolas would stop at a rock to send more arrows down. She could not see what was happening, her thoughts racing as fast as her heart as she climbed with all of her might. Only the occasional cries from below told her when an arrow had met its target.

Then, her heart jumped inside her chest as she saw Legolas disappear into a flat, steady ground above her. The entrance to the passage. It was there, merely a couple of feet away. One of the prince's strong hands stretched to grab her, pulling her up with amazing strength. Another arrow slammed next to her as she used her knees to climb into the safety of the passage, sliding face down onto the sharp rock. Legolas pulled her further inside, only letting go when her feet were no longer dangling from the opening.

She frantically turned to look down at the high cliff wall, eyes searching for the twins. Mirror images climbed as fast as they could, not very far below, but still a dangerous distance from the safe opening. She could tell Elladan was struggling, seeming to be nearly out of strength, but Elrohir would not let him stop, forcing his brother to continue every time he looked to be about to rest.

Legolas stood at the edge of the opening, bow in hand as he sent a storm arrows flying down, one right after the other. More cries echoed from below, orcs falling at the prince's perfect aim, but more of them seemed to appear from the rocks. Her eyes were glued on Elladan, begging for the twins to climb faster. They were nearly there.

Elrohir's hand now remained touching his brother, surrounding them both in the faint glowing light, and she knew that was what kept Elladan from stopping. She felt useless again, unable to yet reach the twins to help them up, even if they were closer now. They were almost there. Only a couple of steps and she would be able to help them up.

Out of instinct, her hands felt through the ground, grabbing a small loose rock, the size of her fist. She did not know what she was doing, but she needed to buy the twins enough time to reach the cliff's opening before an arrow hit them. With as much force as she could muster, she threw the rock down, hitting an orc who let out a loud wail before falling to the ground.

Elladan's hand reached the edge of the opening and Legolas rapidly moved to his aid. She too moved to help and they hastily pulled him up into the passage, Elrohir almost lifting him from below. Elladan fell onto his back on the hard rocky ground, and she dragged him farther from the edge just as Elrohir jumped inside in a swift move.

Elladan's eyes fell closed for a moment, panting heavily, still lying on his back as she cradled his head on her lap. She let her fingers travel desperately to the sides of his face, caressing his forehead and stroking his hair. Tiny beads of sweat covered his forehead and she could see that blood still flowed freely from his thigh, the wound seeming to have opened larger by the effort of the climb. His eyes did not open, but one of his hands wearily flew up, grasping hers in a tight, shaky grip. Instantly, she laced her fingers with his, feeling his body relax only slightly.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw that Elrohir had lowered to sit against the cliff's walls, eyes closed and looking completely worn out. Immediately she had no doubt that the younger twin had been sharing his own strength with his brother, making them both climb the dangerous wall.

Legolas was still standing at the opening's edge, shooting arrows with incredible speed, making sure none of the orcs below would follow them in the climb. She watched as Elrohir took two deep breaths before once again jumping onto his feet, hurriedly moving next to Legolas, bow in hand.

Her attention then turned back to Elladan, only cringing lightly as wails and cries echoed from below. She held his hand tighter, concentrating on their bond, trying to lend some peace and calm into his distressed body. He remained lying in silence, eyes closed and breathing heavily as she stroked his hair softly, wishing to take away some of the pain that lined his handsome face.

Soon, all the noises stopped, silence feeling strange in her ears, hanging heavily in the air. She turned her head to see as Legolas and Elrohir lowered their bows. None of the orcs that followed them remained alive by now. Relief was evident in both of their faces.

Elrohir's eyes turned to look at his twin's shaking figure, silver eyes pained, scared, duty seeming to battle against compassion inside his deep silver gaze. She knew that they needed to keep moving; knew that they needed to travel as far ahead as possible during daylight. And she could tell that Elrohir was thinking the same thing, his eyes seeming to debate whether or not to force Elladan to move once again.

"Elrohir…"

The soft, broken sound of her voice surprised her, her eyes turning to meet the younger twin's silver gaze, silently pleading. She knew they needed to continue, but Elladan needed a break. He needed to rest and regain his strength, even if only for five minutes. He would not be able to stand, and she could not bear to watch him forced into a painful walk just yet.

Suddenly, all the forced firmness and determined look in Elrohir's eyes vanished, and she saw pure agonizing pain flare through his sad orbs. He nodded his head quickly at her, eyes fixing once again on his panting twin.

"We can take fifteen minutes before we continue." Was all the younger twin managed to say, his voice low and edge with pain.

She heard Elrohir moving to get some more bandages and other supplies he would need to treat his twin's injury from the small pack they carried, but she did not turn to look. She knew he would give his brother the fifteen minutes before treating the painful wound.

She felt herself let out a sigh of relief, her hand continuing to softly stroke at Elladan's silky dark hair, gently wiping the sweat from his brow. His muscles relaxed slowly and his heavy breathing became steadier. Fifteen minutes would do him good. They had passed the hardest part. They had made it to the passage. She only hoped that no more orcs would follow them, or that when night came, the Nazgul would not appear. As her body slowly relaxed, her thoughts drifted to the peaceful valley of Imladris, and she wondered if the elves had managed to defend their sanctuary, or if a bloodied battle was taking place right now, as she softly comforted Elladan, wondering about what lay ahead of them…

Here is chapter 47! Please let me know what you think! Your comments are deeply appreciated and very encouraging when writing!

Thanks again to my reviewers: elflove, MinNinniach, rayanoshana, luckyponygirl, AmazingWriter123, Hirilnin, CeffylGwyn, booklover1498, Coco99, jibril, mazzmataz, Wtiger5, Elf sister, and Paperlanterns86. Every single one of your words is fantastic!

luckyponygirl: This is for you, I hope it makes your week.

Love,

Elena.


	48. Dance Of The Hours

Fifteen minutes seemed a shorter time than she ever remembered. Elladan had gone completely still, his head still cradled in her lap as she watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. His eyes were still closed and his body had relaxed considerably, but she knew he had not fallen asleep. Her hand continued to softly stroke his long dark hair as she let her eyes explore her surroundings.

Elrohir sat on the hard stone ground next to her, silently tending to his twin. He gently pressed more bandages to the wound, stopping the bleeding slightly, but without pressing hard enough to cause any pain. She could still see the arrowhead with the broken shaft lodged in Elladan's thigh, making her immediately look away, as if she could feel the pain by merely looking at the wound.

Legolas paced around the tight space, curious blue eyes as if wanting to take a glimpse at every detail. The passage was narrow, large majestic rocks seeming to nearly collapse into each other, weaving only a tight path in between them. The passage seemed to take a turn to the left, so she could not see very far ahead into it.

Light filtered through irregular openings above, where the rocks separated from each other in an infinite dance, making the light beams appear sharper, like perfectly traced golden lines in the shaded space. Soft currents of air blew from different places, the breeze twirling in endless ways through the space, seeming to come from every direction. It was hard to tell how many possible ways out the path had, but by the variation of air currents she could easily tell that it was at least more than one.

The enchanted sound of a thin thread of water running down the rocks reached her ears. The sound of the silvery drops as they freely fell echoed in the imposing walls, bouncing and repeating itself into a magical, soothing chorus. She could tell that many of the larger waterfalls ran from this cliff, although she did not have the slightest idea as to how far from them.

Her attention was drawn back from the soothing melody as Legolas came to sit down next to her. His eyes turned to meet hers and he offered her one of his dashing smiles. Then, his eyes turned to glance at Elrohir as he spoke.

"My count is sixteen."

Elrohir's eyes looked up to meet Legolas', silver irises sparkling as his lips curved up in a smirk. She turned to glare at her brother, slightly exasperated at their game, not understanding how they could enjoy counting how many of the nasty creatures they had killed. Nevertheless, her lips curved up in a smile, grateful at her brother for attempting to lift the mood and distract everyone from their heavy thoughts.

"My count is eight." Admitted the younger twin, almost reluctantly, and she could see a glint in his eyes that seemed to challenge Legolas.

"It seems I win." Legolas' infinite blue eyes gleamed mischievously at the younger twin, a teasing smile present in his fair face.

"We are not yet in Mirkwood. The counting ends when we arrive." Added Elrohir almost immediately, eyes narrowing in defiance, and yet his smirk only turned into a wide grin.

"You will not be able to catch up with me. My count doubles yours." Said Legolas confidently yet his light blue eyes sparkled playfully as he freely teased the youngest son of Elrond. Elrohir raised an eyebrow at the comment, the grin still present in his lips.

"Who knows." Elrohir shrugged his shoulders as if he knew Legolas' prediction was erroneous. "Rina might catch up with you if she keeps with her mighty rock-throwing. She already scored one."

Both of her eyebrows rose in response as Elrohir turned to look at her, his eyes openly mocking her, the gorgeous smirk, identical to that of his brother, ever present in his face. Legolas let out a chuckle as his eyes also turned to look at her playfully. She had known Elrohir would eventually tease her and joke about the rock she had thrown, but she loved it when he did. It was almost in the same way she had heard him tease Elladan and Arwen before.

"You did?"

Elladan's low voice caught her by surprise and her eyes instantly turned to look down at him only to find a pair of deep silver eyes staring back at her. Pain was clearly visible in their endless depths, but they held a slight glint of mischief in them, teasing her along with the other two elves. Her hands travelled to the sides of his face and she leaned down and pressed her lips softly to his forehead.

"Yes, I did" She whispered in return while her lips curved up in a smile. She let her eyes stare into his, silently asking him how he was feeling. For a moment, his silver eyes remained locked on hers, open and honest, letting her freely fall into them, and she could see that he was still in pain, although the small rest had helped considerably.

"So am I the only one who still remains at zero?" He asked, his voice very low and weary, but the tone was mocking, playful.

"No" Elrohir was the one to answer, and she watched Elladan roll his head slightly to look at his twin. "You got shot, so you are at minus one"

"What!" Elladan's head lifted slightly from her lap, eyes wide in bewilderment as his mouth hung open in exaggerated offense. Legolas' laughter exploded through the narrow space, bouncing on the majestic stone walls as he threw his head against the rock. A few giggles escaped her own lips at the elder twin's stunned expression.

"It has never worked that way!" Elladan muttered in protest as his head fell once again tiredly on her lap, clearly displeased by the predicament. "You just made that up. And it is unfair."

Elrohir merely shrugged, grinning widely, and she could not contain another fist of giggles from escaping her lips. Elladan's eyes turned to look at her, silver irises narrowed, as if accusing her of betrayal. Still giggling, she leaned down again, placing another light kiss on his brow.

"If you want I will give you my one, and we will both be at zero." She offered in between chuckles, one hand brushing a strand of dark hair from his face.

"Numbers are not transferable" Elrohir commented instantly, and Legolas' dying laughter roared once again. Elladan eyes closed once more, but a grin crept on his mouth as he let out one musical chuckle.

Elrohir's eyes met hers, and she saw his kind silver eyes sparkling slightly at the sight of his brother relaxing and smiling. She could tell that he and Legolas had gotten the reaction they aimed for.

However, Elrohir's smile only lasted a second as his eyes turned once more to his twin, looking somber again. His hands travelled the wound in his twin's thigh, removing the already soaked bandages that he had pressed over it. She felt Elladan's body tense sharply as Elrohir's gentle fingers examined the wound, but his face did not betray his pain, no doubt to spare Elrohir any more pain.

"It is deeper than I thought" The younger twin murmured with a sigh, eyes shimmering with hurt and sympathy as he turned to meet his twin's eyes. "Dan, I need to take the arrow out and stitch the wound now. I wish that was not the case, but you are losing a lot of blood."

Elrohir's voice was soft, pained, as he reached one his hands to rest on Elladan's cheek. She could see in the younger twin's suffering eyes how hard it resulted for him to be the one inflicting the pain on his brother.

"I am not going to put you sleep yet. We cannot risk staying here for long. As soon as the sun sets I promise I will give you the strongest tea I can make, and you can sleep the entire night."

Elladan's eyes fluttered open, locking with his twin's equal pair. He nodded his head in silence, and she could feel through their bond a new wave of fear washing through him. She felt her chest constrict, her heart filling with terror and panic at the torturing pain she knew he was about to face.

Legolas had quickly moved to Elrohir's side, bringing with him more bandages and the other supplies Elrhoir would need to treat the wound. Elladan closed his eyes again, taking deep calming breaths in anticipation. Her hands immediately flew to his, gripping them tightly as his fingers entwined with hers.

"Hold him still. Do not let him move." Elrohir instructed Legolas and the prince's hand quickly held Elladan's leg in place for the second time that day.

"Whenever you are ready" Elrohir said softly to his twin, eyes patient, sad.

She watched Elladan take in a deep, steadying breath, his fingers holding tighter to hers and his teeth biting into his lower lip. She concentrated all of her will into sending him gentle waves of calm through their bond as she saw him nod his head quickly at Elrohir.

Elerrina was sure that nothing had been as torturing for her during her entire life. Elrohir's hands securely wrapped around the broken shaft, carefully pulling it out, trying to avoid causing any more damage.

Elladan's reaction was immediate. His back arched in agony as his eyes sealed shut. He tossed around, desperately trying to free himself from Legolas' firm hold. She gripped his hands tighter, using all of her will power to keep calm, sending as much peace as she could through their bond, but was not even sure if he could feel them at all. Her heart ached like it never had before, and she felt desperate, unable to do anything for Elladan as he tossed violently in excruciating pain. But what hurt her the most, what would haunt her forever in her dreams, was the agonizing, chocked cry that escaped his lips. The sound pierced her heart like daggers, breaking her into pieces, but she did not show it, continuing to focus on their bond, focus on sending him as much comfort as she could. His hands pulled hers to his face pressing them close to him as he gripped them desperately.

"Shhhhh. It is nearly over. Dan, it will soon be all over." She kept whispering, but he did not seem to hear her, face contoured in his misery as he struggled again to be freed.

Elrohir's face remained expressionless, a stone mask as his hard silver eyes concentrated on removing the arrow's head. In seconds that felt like the longest hours of her life, the arrow was out, and Elrohir quickly but carefully cleaned the wound before proceeding to stitch it close. Elladan kept tossing around, breathing in gasps, a chocked cry leaving his lips when he was no longer able to contain it. She felt something wet sliding down her cheeks, and realized they were tears, but she continued to hold him tight, sending new waves of calmness.

Finally Elrohir finished, his hands carefully wrapping clean bandages around the now closed wound. Elladan fell limp in her arms, shaking violently and panting heavily, his brow once again covered in tiny beads of cold sweat. His eyes remained closed as his trembling fingers moved frantically to grip one part of her, moving from her fingers to grip her dress or arms. Pained whimpers escaped his lips, so faint they were almost inaudible, but still each of them felt like a new stab into her constricted chest.

She felt a breath escape her lips, not knowing she had been holding it, her mind nearly frozen, still shocked. It was over. That was the thought she grabbed onto for consolation. The worst part was over. Now it was only a matter of waiting as the wound healed. His pain would only lessen from now on, even if slowly. She placed her lips to his face, pressing kisses on his forehead, cheeks and nose, trying to ease some of his pain, sending yet more waves of calmness his way.

"I am sorry, Dan." Elrohir said in a barely audible, broken voice as his eyes closed in guilt and pain. Legolas' eyes were looking down, his face unreadable, as his hands quickly released their hold on Elladan's leg.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Legolas move to stand at the edge of opening from which they had climbed. His eyes were narrowed, concentrated, as he stared into the distance. She could see that all of his senses remained sharply alert.

"We should move" Was all he said, eyes turning to Elrohir who remained on his knees next to his twin. They were not yet safe.

The younger twin seemed to have already known this, but his eyes remained fixed on his brother. He reached both of his hands to the sides of Elladan's face, and the latter opened his eyes to stare into those of his twin. Neither said a word for a moment, their eyes serious, focused. She could tell Elrohir did not want to push his brother to his limit, but she also knew that they were both trained warriors, and knew how to place emotions aside and act when needed.

"Lean on me. We will go slowly, at your pace. Stop as much as you need to." Elrohir's eyes pierced into Elladan's, his voice low, serious. Elladan did not answer, but merely stared into his twin and she could see in his silver eyes the same determined look his twin's eyes held.

Pushing himself to sit, Elladan wrapped his right arm around Elrohir's shoulder, and the latter paced an arm securely around his twin's waist, pulling him up on his feet. She could see Elladan was still shaking violently, but his eyes were once again impenetrable, not betraying any emotion.

She also stood up, Legolas quickly moving to her side, offering her a small, reassuring smile as the four of them started to move through the passage. They walked slowly, the twins leading the way, being the ones who knew the way through the labyrinth of stones. Elladan leaned heavily on his twin, barely applying any pressure on his right foot as he limped.

Her eyes immediately turned to the ground and she felt Legolas wrap one strong arm over her shoulders. She looked up to meet his eyes, and found a small comforting smile on his lips, making her smile faintly in return as she pressed herself closer to him, enjoying her brother's company.

The passage was more complex than she had imagined it. Cracks through the large stones led to multiple narrow paths, the rocks creating all kinds of impressive curves and arches above them, and she was sure that it would be extremely easy to get lost. Long cracks high above them let the bright light of the sun wash over the stone, painting it in rare colors, some of which she had never seen, seeming to glitter like quartzes. Frail threads of water leaped over the rocks every now and then, sometimes creating small crystalline pools. Every sound seemed to intensify, bouncing on the stones that stretched infinitely to the sky, making her feel incredibly tiny.

They walked for over two hours before Elladan had to stop briefly, his left hand leaning against the stone wall as he closed his eyes for a second. Elrohir did not let go of him and instantly she saw the faint glow once again envelop the two mirror images.

"Would you like some water?" She overheard Elrohir whispering softly to Elladan, but the elder twin shook his head in response.

They continued their walk in silence for more long hours. Legolas' eyes paid close attention to ever rock, every possible path, sparkling with wonder. Slowly, the atmosphere started to feel dryer; no more creeks were visible, their soothing melody long ago forgotten. The beams of sunlight were fainter now, their angles low, and their bright golden color replaced by an opaque red. The sun was setting.

Elladan's strength seemed to finally be at its limit. He had needed to stop more and more frequently, the short breaks during longer each time. It got to a point in which he could not go for more than ten minutes before needing to stop for a breath. Elrohir was always by his side, continuing to pass some of his strength to his twin every time he needed. She was also there, feeling incredibly useless again, only able to stand at Elladan's left side, letting him also lean on her whenever he needed.

A new feeling of relief crept to her as she saw a large opening ahead. The light of the sun had almost completely faded, but her eyes could still make out the thin lines of grey trees extending to the blackening sky. It was the end of the passage. They had made it far enough of Imladris, far enough from the riders that would surely lurk in the darkness.

Elrohir suddenly stopped a safe distance from the opening, and carefully helped Elladan sit down on the ground. Her eyes closely followed Elrohir and Legolas go about the space, searching through their packs and starting a fire. The elder twin remained silent, leaning against the stone, eyes closed as he caught his breath. She made her way to him, lowering herself to sit at his left side.

Elladan did not open his eyes, his handsome face still lined in pain, but his lips curved up in the faintest of smiles. His left arm wrapped around her, and she snuggled closer, letting her head rest against his chest, listening to the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat. She then felt his head resting tiredly over hers, his face burying in her golden hair. She could feel his exhaustion and the pain the injury caused him, his heavy breaths caressing her skin, and she reached her hand to rest over his chest, fingers absently tracing patterns over the fabric of his tunic.

"Do you want to lie down?" She whispered in a voice only audible to his ears.

"No" He whispered in return against her golden strands of hair, his voice honest. She did not say anything else as her fingers continued to trace the elegant embroidery of his tunic for long moments. His prolonged silence worried her. He had not said a single word while they walked through he passage, a thing that was very unlike him.

"Elladan, drink this" She heard Elrohir say gently as he crouched to Elladan's right, a cup full with a steaming liquid held on his hands. "It will reduce the pain and help you sleep."

She lifted her head from Elladan's chest as he unwrapped his arm from around her, carefully taking the cup in both of his hands. Elrohir waited until his twin had a firm grip on the cup before letting go of it, sitting down on the ground, patiently waiting for Elladan to finish it.

Elladan drunk slowly, taking only small sips at a time. Something about his lack of protest and his silence seemed to make Elrohir uneasy. She could see it in his worried silver eyes, although he did not say anything. Her eyes travelled to Legolas, who was standing only a couple of feet away from them, infinite blue eyes watchful. His eyes caught hers as she stared at him, and he offered another small smile before turning again to look at the twins. She could tell that he wanted to give the identical brothers their space, not wanting to be yet one more elf hovering over Elladan.

After a moment, Elrohir carefully took the empty cup from his twin's hands, his silver eyes turning to look at her for a second before standing up and walking towards the fire. Elladan's eyes had remained closed, and she softly placed one strand of long dark hair behind his pointed ear. She knew it would not be long until the draught took effect, and she was grateful for that.

"I want to lie down" Elladan admitted to her in a barely audible, weak voice, so low she was sure neither Elrohir nor Legolas had heard him, his eyes still closed. Immediately she helped him down, as gently and carefully as she could, his face grimacing in pain as he stretched his right leg.

She felt his hand travelling to hers, his fingers weakly curling around hers, and she turned her eyes to face him. Her eyes met a gorgeous pair of half-opened liquid silver eyes, so deep and warm she felt as if she could drown in them, looking tired, seeming to plead to her. She did not need for it to be asked, did not need him to say a single word as she lowered herself to lie next to him. She felt him relax as both of his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer, her head resting on his chest. She felt his breathing softly start to become slower. His eyelids fell closed once more, the pained expression in his face softened and his muscles relaxed as the draught took effect.

"Elrohir, go to sleep. I will take watch tonight" She heard her brother say softly.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the younger twin nodding his head, lying down on the ground without arguing. He looked drained and in great need of a rest. She was not aware of much after that, the long day and sleepless night before they parted finally catching up with her, and she felt her mind drifting away into a dreamless sleep…

The rays of the sun filtered scarcely through the tight branches of the dense forest, lighting dimly over the heavy foliage. They had been travelling for many days now, and she had noticed how the vegetation around them had slowly started to change. The tree trunks had become wider and taller, almost imposing, filled with thick branches that seemed to weave with one another, almost impossible to distinguish which belonged to which tree. Their leaves were a bright shade of green, almost as if winter would never reach them, their size bigger than she had ever seen. Thick roots emerged from the ground, all kinds plants in various shades of greens, reds and browns growing on them, making it almost impossible to see any surface.

She rode on her own, upon Elladan's horse, Legolas to her right, sitting straight on the back of his white horse. Elladan sat behind Elrohir, to her left, the two of them now looking more alike than ever. Elladan's wound had slowly begun to heal, although he could not yet stand on his feet or walk without aid, and she could see it was still painful. Elrohir had told her that the arrow had done a lot of damage to the muscle, but he would recover completely, although slowly and painfully. It had also been Elrohir who had insisted for Elladan to ride with him, not wanting his twin to uses his legs in order to guide the horse.

The air was also different around them now. It felt denser, a new power seeming to float in it, as if the forests was alive. All kinds of birds chirped in the branches, their songs merging with the cracking of the trees and swaying of the leaves, engulfing her in an enchanted symphony. Movement seemed to catch her eye every two minutes or so, making her turn quickly in that direction, only to find nothing but the giant trees. Both of the twins looked alert, their equal silver eyes searching around them as they rode in silence. They were being watched. She knew it. She could almost feel eyes fixed on her, slowly calculating her every move, although no one had yet crossed their path.

"We are being watched" She heard Elrohir say lowly, his eyes searching cautiously around him. She felt a new wave of nerves wash over her at the younger twin's confirmation of her thoughts.

"I would not have expected any different" Said Elladan, his eyes also looking carefully around the trees, coming to stare at her every two seconds, protective.

"We crossed the borderline long ago. We should have already run into some guards" Added Elrohir, but no one said anything else.

Legolas' eyes were fixed at front, his back straight, looking almost regal. His infinite blue eyes were focused, and she could see that his senses where sharp, reflexes ready, although he did not look anxious about being watched. Suddenly, she was immensely grateful for his presence with them. She could tell they were already inside the border's of an elven realm, she could feel the intense power that covered the forest like a barrier as soon as they had crossed it. No elf would stop them if they rode in the company of the Prince. Or at least that was what she chose to believe.

In a swift movement, an elf dropped from a tree a couple of feet in front of them, landing lightly and gracefully on his feet. They immediately halted, completely taken by surprise. Suddenly many more elves dropped from branches all around them, as if they had been waiting for that first elf to give a sign. Her heart froze against her chest, but she did not dare move. They all held bows, but they were lowered, there was no indication of aggressiveness from their part.

Legolas remained still, not looking surprised, or worried about the elves, and she relaxed slightly at that. Some of the eyes stared at the twins carefully, others seemed to be studying her, but the majority of them looked in the direction of the first elf who had jumped, expectantly.

Long light blond hair cascaded over his shoulders and down his back, the light color almost sparkling under the dim sunlight. He stood still, unmoving, his stance cold but regal, holding an authority and power few would dare to question. A fine dark green cloak fell over his shoulders, adorned at the bottom with intricate leaf patterns in gold thread. And yet, it was something in the strange familiarity of his unrecognizable face what caught her attention. His delicate, yet sharp features were not new to her, although she was sure he did not remember ever seeing this elf before. His face was expressionless, not cold but not warm, and his eyes finally travelled to her. They were a deep green color, the same shade as hers, staring, impenetrable, making her feel completely exposed without getting the slightest glimpse of what ran through this strange elf's mind…

Here is chapter 48! Please let me know what you think of it! I really love all of your comments!

Thanks to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: Coco99, bntjammer, ILoveEomer 3, Paperlanterns86, Elf sister, wonderpanda10, mazzmataz, MinNinniach, She Elf of Hidden Lore, jibril, booklover1498, Martine9295 and CeffylGwyn. You all truly make my day!

Jibril: I cannot say exactly at what time the story happens, so I let that to your imagination. All I can say for sure is that it happens after Celebrian sailed and before the Hobbit and the trilogy. : )

Love,

Elena


	49. Mirkwood

Forest green eyes stared at her intently, unreadable, seeming to pierce through her, so infinite, so full of many secrets and knowledge hidden inside their impenetrable emerald irises. She wanted to look away, but did not dare to break the stare, forcing her face into a mask as much as she could. The face of the elf remained as unreadable as his eyes, perfectly composed, cold and yet so noble and gentle, his undeniable authority over the rest of the elves clearly visible in his relaxed face, as if he had no need of even raising his voice for his command to be obeyed. The sole power of his serene confidence and impenetrable eyes was enough.

However, there was something in his piercing stare that made her suddenly feel nervous. She felt as if at that precise moment he knew exactly who she was, but she could not see the faintest glimpse of confirmation, or the slightest clue of recognition behind the hard emerald irises. Then as suddenly as his eyes had fallen over her, they moved away to look at the twins.

Soft words in elvish escaped the elf's mouth, the sound floating out of his lips so naturally, like a gentle melody carried effortlessly by the wind. His voice was soft, as tranquil as his face, the words perfectly pronounced one at a time, and yet there was such a power inside his kind, soft voice, that she felt sure she would instantly obey anything he said.

She could not understand the words, but by the way his arms danced open to his sides, and the way in which his head inclined slightly, she could tell he was welcoming them. All of his movements seemed so light and graceful, so regal and beautiful. Almost instantly, all of the other elves bowed slightly to them in greeting, imitating this regal looking elf. Elladan and Elrohir nodded their heads respectfully in return, and she copied them, completely at a loss of what to do.

"Thank you for such a kind welcome, Prince Arahaelon. It is an honor to be received by the Crown Prince" Elladan was the one to speak, in the same polite, gentle tone, looking exactly as the Lord of Imladris he was.

The name hit her like a bucket of cold water, her heart skipping a beat, but she did not let her sudden comprehension and surprise show in her face. Arahaelon. She had heard Legolas say that name before. The Crown Prince of Mirkwood: her eldest brother.

She was silently thankful to Elladan for discretely specifying the identity of the elf, the spark in his silver eyes letting her know that he had done it on purpose. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Legolas staring at her, a wide smile reflected in his infinite blue eyes.

She did not know how to feel. Her heart raced and nerves washed over her once more. In front of her stood a brother she had not met before. It felt strange, and suddenly she felt scared, terrified. Did he know who she was? Did he remember her like Legolas did? Had her father, the King, told her siblings she was alive? Or was he still keeping it a secret for himself?

Stranger of it all, she knew they shared the same blood, and yet she did not know anything about this elf, did not feel at all like family. She did not know what she had been expecting, but reality was proving to be quite different. She had built a mental image of the moment in which she would meet her siblings, and in all of them she had instantly felt as if they were related, as if they had known each other their whole lives. And now, in reality, it did not feel that way. They had not known each other their whole lives. The Crown Prince, her eldest brother, resulted as strange to her as the rest of the elves surrounding them, and yet, he already fascinated her.

The Crown Prince's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, questioning Elladan's choice of tongue but he did not say anything about it. Again, she was grateful that the elder twins had chosen to reply in the common tongue for her to understand.

"The honor is mine, Sons of Elrond" Replied Arahaelon in the same soft voice, a welcoming smile appearing in his unreadable face. She wondered if the blond regal elf knew which twin had been the one to speak, if he could tell them apart at all, but again there was nothing visible through his crystal-like green eyes.

The Crown Prince's eyes turned to look at Legolas, softening as a faint gleam sparkled in the dark emerald irises. She saw Legolas' eyes stare back into those of his brother, almost admiringly, and she was reminded of the elfling image of Legolas from her dreams. She knew the Crown Prince was most likely hundreds of years older than him, probably thousands.

"Welcome to you too, little brother" Said Arahaelon in the same polite voice, and yet she could see the faintest shimmer of a smirk hidden in his mysterious eyes and gentle smile.

His impenetrable green eyes fell on her once more and she froze. They were so deep, so full of knowledge, as if she could see the gentle liquid emotions and transparent thoughts concealed behind the cold and composed green irises, like a glass barrier not meant to be broken. The stare only lasted a second as his eyes turned once more to the twins.

"Allow me to escort you to the Palace" His voice was soft again, incredibly noble and gentle, as a kind smile played on his lips.

Then, he turned around in a graceful movement, his right hand lifting slightly in the air to indicate the rest of the elves to start their march, the movement so light, so patient, that she could not keep her eyes from him. Without hesitation, the other elves obeyed, and in seconds, they were once again walking through the dense forest, now surrounded by the large elven escort.

She let her eyes wonder around her, carefully studying the various elves that surrounded them. They moved so swiftly, their movements as if coordinated with the melody of the forest, seeming to become invisible among the trees and leaves. Their long silky hairs sparkled under the faint sunlight in different shades of silver and gold, making Elladan and Elrohir stand out noticeably.

Suddenly new shapes started to emerge in the forest ahead of them, and she nearly gasped in surprise. A majestic gate seemed to materialize in front of them, its shape almost merging with the forest, and she was sure it would not be visible until right in front of it. She looked at left and right, and yet she could not find where it started or where it ended, the delicate golden bars seeming to form part of the trees. They looped around each other, weaving and entwining, emerging from the trees like golden branches, covered in delicate leaves, both real and golden, until it was impossible to figure out which was the gate and which was and actual branch.

The song of a horn echoed through the forest announcing their arrival, and then, before her eyes, she witnessed one of the things that would remain forever engraved on her mind. Suddenly, the delicate golden branches started to move, unweaving themselves like long slender fingers, sparkling in bright gold as the sun caught them in their dance. She could not explain it, she could not understand its logic, but she did not care. Soon, a large opening had appeared before them, the gates like tall golden trees framing the now opened door. And inside, ahead of her, she could see the interiors of Mirkwood.

Houses emerged from the trees, at various different levels. Some of them in the ground, and some entwined in the branches, their architecture impossible to separate from the natural course of the forest, as if the trees had chosen to be part of them. Large balconies protruded from almost everywhere, and she immediately could see the same elven style of construction than in Imladris: long pointed arches and extremely thin and weightless columns. The space seemed so large, and once again she could not find its limits. She also noticed that the heavy canopy of the trees was somewhat reduced, the sun entering freely over the space, adorning a vast light blue sky.

And there, some distance away, behind an ample courtyard stood the palace. The majestic building was larger than any other her eyes had ever seen, although she remembered that the House of Elrond was not really much smaller than this building. And yet, they were so different. Thousands of delicate columns adorned the facades, sometimes framing open hallways, almost too thin to be able to support any weight. Thin railings branched from them, almost like trees, lacing with each other. The number of windows was too large to count, as well as the multiple balconies in all different sizes that emerged from the walls, seeming to float underneath the wide pointed arches of the corridors. It was a sight to remember.

Her eyes immediately turned to Elladan, only to find him staring at her, a smirk in his face as his playful silver eyes stared into her awed ones; he had seen the palace before, she knew it. Suddenly, a new wave of nerves washed over her as she realized that the Elven King, her father, resided just behind those majestic walls. The elf she had seen before in her dreams, the elf she had so badly wanted, and at the same dreaded, to meet was in this precise place. And there was no doubt he already knew she was inside his realm.

Sooner than she would have liked, they arrived at the large courtyard demarcating the main entrance to the palace. Elerrina noticed that the many elves that had been escorting them, quickly dispersed, dismissed by another graceful hand movement from the Crown Prince. Other elves had appeared to receive them, patiently awaiting to take their horses to the palace's stables. She was so stunned, so absorbed by her racing mind and drumming heart, that she found herself frozen on the back of Elladan's horse.

"Your Highness" The elves that approached them would say with a slight bow at the Crown prince, and then repeat the same as they spotted Legolas to her right. The tones of their voices were respectful, and she could clearly hear in them that both Legolas and Arahaelon were deeply loved by their people.

In a swift move, Legolas jumped from his horse, landing gracefully on his feet, handing the reins to a tall blond elf that waited to take them. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Elrohir doing the same, carefully helping his twin behind him to dismount. The Mirkwod elves seemed to have noticed Elladan's wound for in less than a second, there were two other elves helping the younger twin with his brother.

"My Lady"

Her head turned down in surprise at the sound of the serene voice to her right. Her eyes quickly met a pair of the same shade of green staring up at her, so deep, so tender, the impenetrable barrier completely vanished. She felt her heart stop inside her chest as her eyes involuntarily froze over his face. The Crown Prince of Mirkwood was standing really close to her now, each and every one of his fine features clearly visible as she tried to remember his face. He had one hand extended for her to take, and nervously she took it, letting the light blond elf help her to the ground.

He was strong, his arms not even moving a centimeter down as she leaned her weight on it while she jumped. Her feet touched the ground lightly, but the Crown Prince did not move, still standing tall, facing her, his eyes penetrating clearly through hers, studying her closely, his serene face unreadable. Her heart continued to race inside her chest and she was once again frozen, rooted to the ground. Then, he opened his mouth and spoke in a low voice meant only for her ears.

"Your eyes still look the same."

With that, he turned around and headed towards the twins. She stood there, her heart frozen, her voice gone. He knew.

Legolas walked to her side, his infinite blue eyes looking into hers as he smiled broadly. She smiled in return, although faintly, not sure if she was excited or terrified to be in the place that was her home, but did not yet feel like it.

"What do you think?" Asked her brother with a wide smile as his eyes sparkled with joy.

"He knows" She changed the subject in a barely audible whisper, her voice betraying some of her nerves. Legolas seemed to understand what she meant instantly for he simply nodded his head in confirmation.

"He remembers." Was the short answer in the same whispered tone, and she could see he decided not to talk more about the subject. She could tell that none of the elves knew who she was. She was supposed to be dead. What would happen once everyone found out she was still alive? All she could tell was that neither Legolas nor the Crown Prince seemed wishing to give away her identity before the King had decided to do so.

"Please help the Lords of Imladris to their chambers, and send a healer to treat Lord Elladan's injury."

She heard Arahaelon say in a peaceful voice and immediately saw a pair of elves rushing to aid Elladan walk slowly in the direction of the large main doors. Her heart skipped a beat in fear as she realized Elladan would not accompany her to meet the King. He seemed to sense her fear, for his liquid silver eyes turned in her direction, swallowing hers as he gave her an encouraging smile.

"May I show you to a room, My Lady?" She turned her head surprised at the kind voice, only to find a young looking maid staring at her expectantly, a smile on her fair face.

"Thank you, Lithwen, that will not be necessary. I will take care of her personally." The Crown Prince added before she or Legolas could say anything, stepping to her left side.

"Of course, your Highness." The young maid simply bowed her head respectfully in understanding, and she could see in her eyes a glint of confusion as she retired.

Elerrina let her eyes turn again in the direction of the Crown Prince, her eldest brother, and found his piercing, yet gentle, emerald eyes fixed on her. She wanted to say something, but did not know what, and she simply stared back. The look in his impenetrable green eyes told her that although he knew who she was, he had not been expecting her to show up, and for a moment, she wondered if he had known she had been alive all along or had just only found out.

"Follow me" Said Arahaelon in a kind voice, and, without waiting for an answer, started his graceful march up the steps towards the large pair of extremely tall main doors.

She forced her feet to move, feeling as if her mind was lost in a distant reality, far away from the actual place in which her physical body was. It simply did not feel real. Legolas walked closely by her side, a wide smile appearing to be forever engraved on his handsome face.

The Entrance Hall was as large as she had imagined. Rows of thin columns stretched tall towards the high ceiling, and she could see many finely crafted large doors to left and right, marking the entrances to other important halls inside the palace. The Crown Prince continued up the large marble main staircase, and she followed closely behind, her eyes lost in the labyrinth of pointed arches and branch-like railings, every column, every window, every detail so delicately crafted.

Elves walked back and forth through the halls, entering and exiting doors, stepping down elegant staircases. Some dressed in elegant formal robes, most definitely of high rank, and others in golden elven armor, guards and warriors. She could also see some maids and servants walking by them every once in a while as they made their way along the large corridors, rounding so many corners, through so many halls she was sure she could no longer remember the way out. She could feel many eyes turning in her direction as they walked, staring, and she knew why: She resembled her mother, the former Queen.

Soon she noticed that they had reached a part of the palace in which the number of elves had considerably decreased, reduced only to a servant or maid running an errand every so often. A beautiful Lady came into view just as they stepped into a long arched corridor, coming from the opposite direction of them.

Elerrina could not help but stare. Long platinum hair fell slightly below her waist, so fine, delicately braided in a way she had not seen in Imladris. Tiny pearls and aquamarines cascaded down her braids and strands of hair, hanging from silver threads that laced with her platinum locks. Her skin was pale, the palest shade Elerrina had yet seen, and her eyes were an iced combination of clear blue and green, so light her dark pupils stood out in a stunning contrast. She reminded her of a snowy winter's day.

"Legolas!"

The Lady's voice echoed in the deserted hallway, the sound like the song of tiny silver bells dancing in the breeze A gorgeous smile adorned the Lady's face as she kissed both of Legolas cheeks.

"Lossie" Said Legolas softly with a wide smile as he grabbed both of the Lady's hands and squeezed gently before letting them go. Then the Lady turned towards the Crown Prince, the bright smile still present on her delicate face.

"Arahaelon" She breathed as she also kissed both of the Crown Prince's cheeks.

She moved so gracefully, so effortlessly, her aquamarine dress floating around her like vapor, the many silver strings and jewels that circled her bare shoulders and cascaded down the wide sleeves sparkling as she moved.

"Lossenel" greeted the Crown Prince, a warm smile drawing on his serene face.

Once again, she felt her heart skip a beat as the name echoed inside her mind. She had also heard Legolas mention that name before. Lossenel. Her only sister. Suddenly she felt incredibly plain next to this stunning snowy Lady.

Lossenel's eyes turned to look in her direction, and she merely smiled at her, ice green-blue eyes not holding the faintest recognition as she inclined her head in a polite greeting. Elerrina mirrored the silent gesture, not knowing what else to do. Her eyes were so transparent, so gentle and filled with light, an astonishing combination of piercing ice and endless warmth she could not describe.

She then heard the Princess of Mirkwood say something in elvish to her eldest brother before continuing her way past them down the hallway, her dress and platinum hair dancing around her light steps.

As they continued their infinite march through the corridors, Elerrina was only sure of one thing: Lossenel did not know who she was. The King had not yet told anyone.

She was abruptly brought out of her wondering mind as the Crown Prince suddenly stopped in front a majestic pair of wooden doors. A guard in the same golden armor she had previously seen stood at either side of the door. Suddenly, she felt a new wave of nerves wrack her body, her heart racing dangerously as she struggled to keep a calmed face. A wave of terror invaded her, and she felt the urge to run, to flee and hide herself in Elladan's embrace, but her feet would react to her.

She watched Arahaelon reach up a hand and knock on the exquisite doors. She desperately wanted to yell at him to stop, but her body seemed to be disconnected from her mind, a cold statue frozen in place.

"Enter" Came the answer from inside, her heart stopping dead inside her chest as the Crown Prince opened one of the large doors without hesitation, stepping inside the room.

He motioned for them to follow, and Legolas grabbed her arm and nearly pulled her inside. They stopped to stand only a couple of steps into the room as the door closed behind them with a light click.

The room was clearly a large office, elegant bookshelves covered the overly high walls, and rows of tall arched windows allowed the golden sunlight to wash the space. Three elves occupied the room, sitting over a polished wooden table, appearing to be discussing something, judging from the many parchments that laid spread in front of them. Three pairs of eyes turned in their direction as they stepped into the room, but her own eyes were only glued on only one of the elves.

There, right in front of her sat the elf she had for so long longed to see. Long light blond hair fell over his shoulders and back as he rose tall to his feet, a crown made out of silver leaves glittering under the rays of sunlight. His serene face was unreadable, cold like stone, and yet his features were so delicate, so like Legolas'. He was wearing elegant soft blue robes, the fine fabric delicately embroidered in silver and gold thread, tracing patterns of leaves. He stood there, tall and regal, an air of undeniable power and authority seeming to float around him, just like the image of her dreams.

And then, his eyes flew to hers, and she felt them pierce into her mind, trapping her until she was unable to look away. They were a cold shade of infinite blue, hard at first sight, like impenetrable crystal irises. The same look Arahaelon's eyes carried.

And yet, as soon as they fell on hers, they softened, the hard crystal barrier suddenly vanishing, absorbing her entirely into the most powerful stare she had seen, pulling her like clear seas. And still, there was something else in his eyes as he stared at her. They were edged with sorrow and pain, combined with the deepest, most touching gleam of joy and pride as he stood there, motionless, as frozen as her, as if neither pair of eyes seemed willing to believe just who was standing right in front of them…

Here is chapter 49! I hope you enjoy reading it! Please let me know what you think, all of your comments are deeply welcome!

Next chapter- chapter 50- is the final chapter for this part 1 of the story! It will be longer than all the other ones. There WILL be a sequel.

One again, thank you immensely to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter: smulderalert, The Grimreaper PT, SarahWeasley, yruniwylio, mazzmataz, alexiana75, Elf sister, ILoveEomer 3, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Coco99, MinNinniach, Martine9295, Jibril, gossipghurl, Paperlanterns86, AmazingWriter123, wonderpanda10, CeffylGwyn, She Elf of Hidden Lore, ShueYun, booklover1598, and my guest reviewers!

Love,

Elena


	50. One Familiar Stranger

A sudden silence fell over the large office, every pair of eyes expectantly waiting for the Elven King to react. Her body froze, completely unresponsive to her mind. The loud beating of her heart was the only reminder that the scene in front of her was real. So many things she would have liked to say, so many things she would have liked to do, and at that moment, she could not think of any of them. All she could think of was the pair of infinite blue eyes that pierced through hers, pulling her like inescapable wide clear oceans, so captivating, so strange and yet so familiar.

"You may be dismissed" The Elven King's calmed voice echoed through the still air as he turned quickly to face the other two elves that sat at the table. His musical voice was soft and at the same time so royal and powerful, leaving no space for argument.

She saw the two elves blink as if awakened from the daze that had fallen over the room upon their entrance, their eyes confused, shocked at the sudden dismissal and she could clearly see that the meeting they interrupted had not been close to being finished. However, the two elves hurriedly picked up some parchments from the table and stood up, silently bowing at their King and Princes before strolling out of the room.

"Arahaelon, would you please gather your siblings and wait for me at the family wing?" King Thranduil's piercing blue eyes turned to look at his eldest son as he spoke, his voice kind and soft, perfectly composed. "You too, Legolas, and welcome back home."

"Yes, Ada" The Crown Prince nodded his head in reply, his face as serene an unreadable as ever, but his previously cold and impenetrable eyes now warm and kind as a green forest.

Her eyes traveled to watch Arahaelon as he gracefully turned around to leave the room. His green eyes caught hers for a moment, a spark of mockery that seemed to tell her he knew exactly who she was buried deep in his serene forest irises. His lips curved up in a gentle smile, and suddenly he did not feel as royal, powerful and distant as he had moments ago. Suddenly she felt that there was so much more to know about him hidden behind his crown prince façade.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Legolas silently follow his eldest brother, offering her a wide smile before closing the door behind him. The light clicking sound of the door as it sealed shut behind her back seemed louder in the silence, trapping her in this overly large study with the Elven King. Even her previously drumming heart appeared to have stopped beating, her body rooted in place, unresponsive as waves of nerves and fear took possession of her.

Her eyes remained fixed on the King, who had not moved a single inch. He stood there, only some feet in front of her, standing as tall and regal as she had always imagined him, as she had seen him in her dreams. His light blue robes had to be the finest she had ever seen, the shade perfectly matching his infinite blue eyes that resembled an expanding clear sky. Every feature of his face was so delicate, so defined, and she was sure he was one of the fairest looking elves in the whole Arda. She could feel the incredible power that seemed to float around him, emanating from his majestic figure.

And yet, there was something else his calmed blue eyes, no longer authoritative, no longer impenetrable. They looked so deep, so vast, filled with more emotions and wisdom than she could imagine, staring at her, taking in her entire appearance, studying her face. She felt a new wave of emotions wash over her, emotions she could not name. Her father was here, standing right before her, and yet she could not say anything to him, could not think of anything to say.

Then, as soon as his eyes met hers again, she felt something change. They seemed to trap her, and let herself freely float in their vast infinite skies, suddenly feeling safe, secure. She did not know exactly what it was, but deep in the strangeness of the powerful eyes of the Elven King gleamed a touch of familiarity, a touch of love that her forgotten memories had thought she would never see again. And then she knew, as clearly as she had when she had first met Legolas, that she had seen those eyes before. And she remembered them. They felt like home. It seemed so strange, so distant and false, and yet so real and welcoming.

A lump formed in her throat and her chest constricted, but she could not gather the strength to move. So many emotions swirled through her body that she could not even understand what they were; fear? Joy? Nerves? Peace? Relief? How many times had she stared in to his eyes when she was nothing but a baby? For how long had her own eyes absently longed to stare into such familiar comfort without ever being able to remember it existed?

Suddenly a place inside of her she had not known was void before felt complete, and she instantly knew it had not entirely being empty, but forgotten; it was their bond, weak and almost inexistent, but it had never broken; it simply had never grown. She could already feel the silver shimmer of unshed tears starting to blur her vision, and she was abruptly angry at herself for once again not being able to control her emotions from showing.

She saw the Elven King suddenly take a step forward, eyes quickly narrowing in worry and alarm, but then stopped in place, seeming to hesitate whether or not his approach would be well received. But it was too late. The moment he moved she felt as if her body had suddenly snapped awake from its frozen daze. She felt her feet rushing forward, out of natural instinct rather than reason. But on what reason would she act at that moment? Her mind was a hurricane of incoherent thoughts, a tornado of unnamed emotions.

Her movement seemed to answer his doubts and he too moved forward, reaching her just in time as she threw her arms around his middle, crystal tears already rolling down her cheeks. A pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around her, and she felt so safe, so protected. She felt at home. Everything about the embrace was so familiar, and yet so new. She did not remember his face, did not remember his voice, but she remembered his presence. More tears slid shamelessly down her cheeks as she opened her mouth to take a steadying breath, only for a chocked sob to escape out of it as a result. She pressed her face against his formal robes, the feeling of the fine silver embroidery on her cheeks resulting more comforting than she had ever imagined. Even his sweet scent felt familiar to her, and she felt like an elfling. But then again, that was exactly was she was at that moment: an elfling in the arms of her father.

"My Almarëa" She heard him whisper in between her uncontrolled sobs. His arms held her so tight against him, as if they longed to make up for every second of all the long years. She felt his fingers softly sliding through her hair, stroking the back of her head in they way in which one comforts a small child. "Welcome home, my little Almarëa"

Elerrina opened her mouth to say something, but failed miserably as yet another sob echoed from her throat. She was crying hysterically now, her tears soaking the fine fabric of his robes, but the King did not seem to care. His hold did not lessen; it only tightened as he kept whispering her name to himself over and over again.

She felt him pull away form her slightly, one hand gently lifting her chin to look into her face and she let her eyes pierce into his once more, more tears racing down her cheeks at the comforting familiarity in his gaze. The silvery shimmer of unshed tears glazed his eyes, so deep and penetrating…so familiar.

"My Almarëa" He repeated, as if he needed to say it a thousand times to actually believe it. His thumb softly brushed away the tears from her cheeks, but it was useless, they flowed like streams down her face every time she blinked.

She felt the Elven King guide her to an elegant couch inside the large room, softly pushing her down to sit before sitting next to her. His arms remained wrapped around her shaking body, cradling her like a child…his child. It felt so comforting, so natural to simply be held in this elf's arms, and at the same time so strange and new.

Long moments passed as she struggled to steady her breathing from the sobs that wracked her body, and he simply sat there, patiently waiting. She let her eyes scan the room, lost at the care that had seemed to be imbedded in every detail, every object so delicate and elegant that it almost made her feel intimidated. Everything about the room was strange; everything about the palace was strange. But strangest of it all was the elf sitting beside her. He was so familiar, and yet she did not know him at all, did not know anything about this powerful, respected figure.

"Would you like some water?" He offered gently, and she nodded her head in response, absolutely in need for something to help her ease her constricted throat.

The Elven King stood up gracefully and she followed him with her eyes as he walked to the large doors. He opened one only halfway and said something in elvish to the guards standing dutifully outside before closing it again and returning to sit next to her. He continued to stare at her, his eyes carefully studying her every feature as she tried to calm her chocked breathing. Right now, she knew she looked nothing like the daughter of a King.

Not even five minutes later, someone knocked on the door. She heard King Thranduil softly calling for the newcomer to enter and a fair looking maid walked into the room carrying a crystal glass full of water in one of her pale hands. The maid bowed her head respectfully at her King as she approached and Elerrina saw the Elven King nod his head politely. She heard him say some words in elvish to the maid, which she assumed were in thanks, while he motioned with a hand for the water to be handed to Elerrina. 

She gratefully took the glass in her slightly shanking hands sipping slowly at the transparent liquid. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the maid silently exiting the room, closing the door behind her. She slowly felt herself calm down, the water helping loads in easing the tight knot at her throat until she felt that she could breath regularly once again.

"Do you feel better?" He asked after a moment, and she simply nodded her head in reply, once again not knowing what to say to him. Then his hand traveled once more to her chin and gently lifted her head to look into her eyes, a melancholic mixture of sorrow and joy present in his small smile.

"I know I am a stranger to you, even if you know that you are my daughter." His voice was soft, edged with sadness and tenderness as his infinite blue eyes stared deeply into hers. "I love you very much, I have since the moment of your birth, just as all of your siblings. I wish I could have given you all that which I gave to your siblings, and I am truly sorry it was not that way. I do not know you, nor will I pretend like I do, but I do wish you would let me try to get to know you. I wish I had been the one to tell you about your heritage, but I agreed with Elrond when he let you know that it was the right time. I also recognize that you go by the name Elerrina, and I will completely understand if you would rather be called by that name over Almarëa."

His infinite eyes stared at her intently, a deep pain floating deeply in their sky colored irises, so compliant and understanding. Suddenly, at that moment, whichever name she chose was such an insignificant thing to her. True, she had grown up by the name Elerrina. That had been her only identity, and it had come as a great shock to find out otherwise. But Elerrina seemed so far away now. She would never return to the village in which she grew up; her foster mother was dead, and she was an immortal being. She knew that she would always remain Elerrina, but she no longer felt the need to hide herself behind that name. Most of all, she had already found a brother in Legolas and wanted this elf in front of her to be her father. And Elerrina was not his daughter.

"I will be happy to go by the name you gave me."

Her voice came out barely audible, but steadier than she had imagined. The gleam of pride and joy in his eyes at her words told her that her choice of name meant more to him than it really did to her, and she suddenly had the feeling that the name Elerrina was a reminder that someone else had raised her.

"You look exactly like your mother." His voice trailed off as one of his hands softly placed a strand of her long golden hair behind her left ear, his eyes continuing to study her face.

"The palace is your house, and you are free to go anywhere you want. I do not expect for it to feel like home yet, but I hope someday it will." He stared at her for a moment, and once again she felt like she wanted to say so many things and at that moment could not think of a single one.

"I…" She started, not sure of what to say to this elf who was at the same time the mighty King of Mirkwood and her father. "How should I address you?"

If her question surprised him he did not show it in his perfectly serene face. When he answered his voice remained as soft and kind as it had been through the entire conversation and she had the deep feeling that this tone he used with her was not the tone of the King of Mirkwood, but of a father.

"Any way you want."

She nodded her head in response, somewhat relieved that he was not demanding her to call him father. Part of her longed to do so, and yet part of her could not, the word would simply not come out of her lips, it felt too strange, too unreal. And yet she did not know how else to address him, for calling him anything other than father resulted as equally as strange.

"Would you like me to show you to your quarters?" He said as he rose to his feet with a smile on his face. Suddenly she could see just how much Legolas resembled his father. She nodded her hear in response, not really wanting to stay in this elegant room for long. "Come."

She too rose to feet and followed the Elven King closely as he walked to the large pairs of doors. He opened one the exquisitely carved wooden doors and let her out first before closing it behind him as he exited the piece.

Outside, the corridor felt larger than it had before, every pointed arch stretching tall above her, so frail and magnificent at the same time. He led her down the long corridor, walking at a slow pace in contrast to Arahaelon's previous determined walking. He moved so gracefully, every step as if he was floating effortlessly over the polished marble floor, the elegant formal robes dancing around him, brushing the floor behind his feet. There was once again the undeniable aura of royalty and power that seemed to surround his very presence.

Every once in a while an elf or two would cross their path, bowing respectfully at King as they did and sometimes adding a low "Your Majesty". Their curious eyes would turn to her, analyzing her closely and she found herself staring at the floor in those cases, not knowing how to react to the stares. To her relief, no elf asked about her, and she assumed none would question her with the King being the one who led her through the palace. It was both, a magnet for stares and a safety blanket from questions about her identity.

It had not been long until she once again felt lost in the endless corridors and large halls that filled the palace. She had tried to memorize the way, but the task had very soon resulted nearly impossible. There were so many stairs, so many hallways, every space filled with bright rays of golden sunlight that filtered from the many windows and balconies, the corridors sometimes opening completely to the exterior, adorned by a frail railing that emerged from the pointed arches.

She followed the Elven King up a large, elegant staircase and found two guards standing at either side of the upper landing. Neither of the elves moved as the King walked past them, seeming to be used to their presence there, but she could not help but stare at them in slight awe as she followed behind. Up the staircase was quiet, and she could not hear many elves in the area. Suddenly she had the feeling that they were now in the private quarters of the palace, and the two guards at the staircase seemed to confirm her suspicions.

A young looking maid crossed their path, and the Elven King stopped her in her way. She appeared slightly surprised but quickly stopped and bowed lightly at the King, waiting for the new command that was probably coming.

"Caeleth, find Sidhel and her daughters Lhenes and Riniel and send them to Almarëa's chambers." The young maid's eyes did not hide her confusion at such request but quickly nodded her head.

"Yes, Your Majesty." She replied instantly, and for a second her eyes noticed Elerrina standing behind the Elven King and suddenly seemed to widen in comprehension. She never knew if the maid had known she was Almarëa or what it was she had thought about her, but a fragment of a second later, the young looking elf was rushing down the hall to complete her newly assigned task.

This part of the palace was more beautiful than the rest she had seen. It was still elegant, filled with pointed arches and balconies, and yet they somehow seemed more delicate, their scale less grand and more intimate and welcoming. The blond King suddenly stopped before a small corridor that ended in large pair delicately carved wooden doors.

"These are my quarters." He said as he motioned to the doors with a graceful movement of his hand. "You are welcome in them any time you want."

She nodded her hear in reply, the sole sight of the large doors already intimidating her and for a moment she imagined if those were the doors she would have come running to when scared in the middle of night had she been raised at the palace. She wondered if those were the doors Legolas had run to, or Arahaelon, or Lossenel, or Tadion.

A small smile appeared on her face as she remembered that name. She remembered Legolas pronouncing it; her other brother; the one that was the twin's same age. It was the only name of her siblings that still remained without a face she could attach to it.

She was cut out of her thoughts as the Elven King continued down a long corridor to the right. Many doors flanked its sides, all of them carefully crafted in different patterns of leaves and flowers, all similar but different. There were five doors, to be exact, the spacing between each of them enormous. The King led her to the very last door at the end of the corridor, to the left and opened it carefully for her to enter first.

The room inside was far larger than she had imagined it. Pale cream curtains hung heavily from the large windows, the fabric delicately embroidered in gold thread at the bottom in patterns of leaves like she had never seen before. Light washed over the room in thin golden lines, filtering through the clear crystals of the many windows. She could see many pieces of furniture adorning the room, a table with some chairs, a long chaise, a couch and a delicate vanity among them. Thin columns supported the ceiling in pointed arches, the beams branching out of them like trees, twirling around each other and lacing in a wooden interior canopy.

There was a large balcony at the right end of the room, overlooking the entire realm of Mirkwood. Against the wall opposite to the balcony, and in the center or the room lay an overly large bed, its soft covers the same pale cream shade as the curtains, the borders equally embroidered in the same patterns. Many pillows rested over the bed, as well as many small pale gold decorative cushions. The headboard seemed to be as delicately crafted as the ceiling, the wood curving and entwining like trees, sparkled with some leaves every now and then. There was also a delicate bedside table, as well as a large bookshelf filled to the top with books.

"This is your chamber, my Almarëa." She heard the Elven King say as he entered behind her. The words reached her ears, but it still felt so unreal. The only room she had owned had been a very plain small room where she had been raised. True, the room she had occupied in Imladris had been more than beautiful, but she had always known it was not really her room. It was a guest room in Lord Elrond's house. But this room was hers, and it felt too strange to believe it.

The room looked perfectly clean and well kept; although she could easily tell that it had not been used in years. And yet, every detail, every corner of the room seemed to be carefully maintained, and she noticed that there was a bed in the room instead of the crib there probably was by the time she left Mirkwood. She turned to look at the blond King, only to find his eyes fixed on her, lost in thought.

A soft knock on the door made her turned in its direction, and she saw the Elven King open it widely to allow three fair looking elven maids into the large chamber. The first one had flowing light blond hair, and the other two light brown, but their eyes were the same shade of pale hazel. Their eyes easily found her, and she saw the same reaction that she had seen in the previous maid's eyes in the corridor.

"Your Highness." The blond maid addressed the King respectfully as the other two fair maids walked directly behind her.

"Sidhel" said the King inclining his head politely in greeting with a faint smile. The informality in the greeting gave the impression that this maid was no stranger in the private quarters of the house. "Allow me the pleasure of introducing you my youngest daughter, Almarëa."

The Elven King's eyes sparkled in joy and his smile widened as the words left his mouth, one hand moving in Elerrina's direction. She saw the blond maid's kind hazel eyes widen suddenly as a hand flew to her mouth. Hazel eyes were fixed on her, the maid seeming to have petrified in her spot as if she had seen a ghost. Elerrina did not know how to react, and she stood there in silence staring back at the wide pair of hazel eyes.

"By the Valar." She heard the blond maid whisper as her eyes studied Elerrina from head to toe. "It cannot…she…I thought….It _is _her, it is little Almarëa. She is so grown, so beautiful." The maid continued to mutter as she stepped closer to her and she could see in the depths of her watering eyes that this elf had known her as a baby, and she too had thought she was dead.

"It is a joy and an honor to meet you again, Your Highness" said the blond maid inclining her head respectfully. Her voice was slightly broken and her smile so wide she doubted it would fade away any time soon. Suddenly she wished she could be as happy about seeing this elven maid as she was of seeing her, but this was a face she did not remember.

The title reached her ears like a strange name. She had never had a tittle before, but she guessed this would be one of the many things she needed to get used to. Her eyes immediately turned to the King, searching some guidance on what to do or say.

A wave of relief washed over her and her body relaxed slightly as she found the strangely familiar pair of infinite blue eyes staring back at her, a broad smile on his lips as he nodded his head to her.

"It is a pleasure as well." She said, surprised by the steady, calmed sound of her voice. She felt everything but that at the moment.

"Almarëa" Said the Elven King softly as he stepped next to her, one hand resting lightly on her left shoulder. "This is Sidhel. She is the head maid for the Family Quarters. And these are her daughters, Lhenes and Riniel. They will see to your needs."

The two sisters inclined their heads simultaneously at the mention of their names, and although they looked very different, Elerrina was not sure which name belonged to which. A cold stab of sorrow pierced her heart as she thought of Faelilla, and she only hoped these two maids would be as kind and friendly as the Imladris' maid had been.

"Should I run a bath for you, Your Highness?" Her eyes turned to meet Sidhel's clear hazel ones, so lost in her own thoughts she has not even heard the question correctly.

"Yes, Sidhel, thank you. I am sure she would like that." The Elven King answered for her, and she was grateful that he did. She watched in silence as the three maids nodded their heads in understanding and left through another door inside the room, the one that connected to the bathing rooms most probably.

King Thranduil took a couple of steps towards her, his fair face serene and soft, looking even more delicate framed by the light blond strands of long hair. His infinite blue eyes were staring directly into hers, so powerful and at the same time so kind.

"I assume you are tired and would like some time to rest before dinner. It is a long journey from Imladris."

Elerrina nodded her head in silence, unable to look away from the piercing stare. She was not really tired, but she wanted nothing more than to be by herself for some time, to go and find Elladan wherever he was inside this labyrinth of a palace. She enjoyed the presence of the King, and at the same time it made her feel nervous, intimidated. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, and yet she could not bring herself to do it. She had nothing to say to him. The Elven King smiled softly in return, not saying anything at her lack of words.

"I took the liberty of commanding some dresses for you. They are in your wardrobe. If they do not please you, you can ask for new ones and they will be made." His voice was gentle, like the melody of a calmed song.

"Thank you." Was all she said, wishing to have anything else to ad. The blond King nodded his head softly before continuing.

"I will take my leave now. Your siblings are waiting for me and I should inform them you are here. I will be at the family wing if you need anything." He offered her a small smile and his infinite blue eyes remained as welcoming, kind and composed as before. Even though his expression did not show it, she felt that he could easily tell she would not say much more.

Her heart ached at the thought, and she longed to have something to say, longed to simply have a conversation with him, but she could not. There were so many things she wanted to ask, so many things she wanted to hear, but she could not gather the courage to ask him. He was her father, and her eyes and spirit seemed to know and remember that, but her mind could not. He was her father, but he was not her dad.

She watched in silence, rooted to the ground as he slowly turned around towards the door, the finery of his robes brushing the cold marble floor with an elegant sound.

"Why?" The question left her lips before she could realize she had pronounced it, her voice so low that at first she thought he had not heard her. Every question, every doubt, was resumed in that single word.

The Elven King turned back around, deep blue eyes expanding infinitely before her. They looked different now, darker, somber, and suddenly she regretted her question, feeling like a small child under the powerful, distant stare of the respected King of Mirkwood. He knew what she was asking, she could see it in his eyes, which were suddenly once again impenetrable, like the cold hard ice over the gentle waters of clear stream. Not a single emotion was visible behind the crystal irises.

"Many reasons." Was his answer, his voice pained barely audible, and she suddenly knew that at the moment she would get nothing more than that.

Whatever the reasons, whatever had forced her to leave Mirkwood, had to had been very unpleasant. His expression was composed, and he seemed taller than ever now, more royal and powerful than before, making her feel as if she had shrunk a couple of inches. She found it impossible to hold his gaze, and she found herself quickly looking at her feet. He did not say anything else, and she watched his back as he silently exited the room, closing the door gently behind him, her unanswered question still roaring inside her head…

Here is chapter 50! I hope you like it! Please let me know what you think of it, I do love all of your comments!

I know I said this would be the last chapter…but it was nearly over 10000 words long, so I cut it in two separate chapters….so 1 more chapter to go, chapter 51, which will most certainly be the last one for sure (unless it is still too long.)

Also, thank you infinitely to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter, it truly means a lot to me to know that you are enjoying the story: smulderalert, SheYun, Sarah, Elf sister, yruniwylio, kaylsX, ForbiddenShadow0, ILoveEomer 3, MinNinniach, Coco99, Glory Bee, Martine9295, mazzmataz, booklover1598, wonderpanda10, Paperlanterns86, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, luckyponygirl, AmazingWriter123, CalathielKat, Jibril, gossipghurl, and CeffylGwyn.

Love,

Elena


	51. What Lies Ahead

One hour later, Elerrina found herself bathed and in one of her new dresses as one of the maids carefully combed through her hair. The dress she chose was of a pale shade of green. The color had somehow seemed familiar to her in these strange and new surroundings. It was the color Elladan preferred on her, she knew that. A smile broke through her lips as she thought of Elladan, and now more than ever she wanted to be by his side, needed to see his face, to hear his voice, needed to feel whole again, to feel at home.

"Riniel" she said, not sure which maid was the one she had called, but hopping that the owner of the mane would answer. The maid who had been braiding her hair suddenly stopped her fine work, already finished, and moved to stand at Elerrina's eyesight.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Her new title caught her by surprise. It would take some time to get used to it. She would later tell the young maid to stop using it and simply call her by her name, but right now she had more important things to ask.

"Do you know where can I find Lord Elladan….or Lord Elrohir." She added quickly. One twin would lead her to the other, so either one was fine.

The maid's beautiful hazel eyes suddenly sparkled with a new excitement, almost seeming to tease her, and she instantly liked her a lot more. Elerrina had not said more than was necessary for the past thirty minutes, and she knew that this sudden question had entirely given her away. There was no way this maid did not suspect she had a special liking for the eldest son of Elrond.

"Yes." Riniel answered with a bright smile. "The Lords of Imladris always use the guest chambers inside the private quarters of the house. They will most likely be there, for they usually rest for some time after arriving."

"Would you like us to show you the way?" Her eyes immediately turned to the other maid, Lhenes, as she spoke. She could see the same amused spark in her eyes, and knew that the young elf had accurately guessed what she had wanted. And she knew it.

"Yes, thank you." Her voice was polite, but she could not help her lips form curving in a guilty smile.

Neither of the maids said anything else, but soon she was following them out of her elegant chamber and into the wide corridor outside. Elladan was staying inside the Private Quarters of the palace, which could not be that far away. She tried to memorize every curve they took, every stair, every hallway, making an incredibly large effort to remember exactly how to get to Elladan's chambers. For all she cared, that was the only place in the place worth knowing the way. For all the other destinations, she could get lost and would not mind it in the slightest.

It only took a couple of minutes before Lhenes and Riniel stopped in front of a pair of large wooden doors. Her heart instantly filled with longing and it became impossible for her not to smile.

"It is here, Your Highness." Said Riniel with a small nod of her head and Elerrina turned to look at her.

"Thank you."

"Should we wait for you inside your chambers?" Asked Lhenes.

"That will not be necessary, thank you. You may go." She smiled softly as she shook her head, dismissing the two maids who simple bowed their heads lightly before turning to leave.

She did not turn to look as she heard their light footsteps walking away through the large corridor, all of her attention placed on the door that lay before her. One of her hands quickly knocked on the carved wood, but she did not wait for an answer as she gently pushed the door open and stepped inside the room, closing it behind her.

The sight that met her eyes made her heart melt as her lips curved up in a gentle smile. Elladan lay on the large bed placed in the center of the room, silver eyes closed in a deep healing sleep. Loose dark hair lay splattered over the soft pillows, the color contrasting sharply against the pure white of the pillowcases and sheets. The covers were pulled up to his shoulders and she could see a bulge under the sheets where a pillow had been placed underneath his right leg, entirely relaxing the wounded muscle. He looked so peaceful, the handsome features of his face completely tranquil, not a trace of the constant pain that had lined his face for the past days remained visible. For the firs time since they had left Imladris, he was sleeping comfortably, pain and discomfort no longer disturbing his rest.

The sole sight of him, the sole feeling of his presence close to her made her feel all right again. She walked slowly towards the bed sitting gently on its edge, careful not to wake him. The slow sound of his breaths felt like the sweetest lullaby to her ears as her heart beat at the rhythm of the peaceful rise and fall of his chest. One of her hands softly brushed a strand of dark hair from his face, and a silent chuckle escaped her lips as he stirred at her touch, rolling his head towards her hand.

Slowly, and as silently as she could, she rose from the bed and walked towards the door. He would not wake for a couple of more hours, and she would let him sleep as long as he needed to. She would come back later in hopes that he would finally be awake, although she could already feel her heart calmed and whole once more, as if his sole presence, even if asleep, was all she needed to feel at peace.

She was proud of herself when she was able to remember her way back to her own chambers. The large room was empty now, all to her, and somehow it felt strangely comforting. The sun had started to set in the horizon, painting the sky a pale pink tinted with slight shades of purple. A small smile grew on her lips as she studied the beautiful room again. It was her room; her room in her house. She lived here.

She had no memory of this chamber. She had no memory of the palace. Slowly, she walked towards the large bookshelf that adorned one of the walls, her eyes scanning through the rows of books in all different sizes and colors. She let her hand pull out one of the books, carefully going through its pages, only to find that it was written in elvish. Sighing, she placed back on the shelf. There was no use for all of these books; she could not read any of them.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open. She turned around quickly, jumping slightly in surprise before freezing on her spot. Standing at the opened door stood the petrified figure of Lossenel. Ice green-blue eyes stared at her, wide and shocked, unblinking, as platinum hair cascaded down her back, catching the fading gleams of sunlight on their silvery strands. One hand was pressed to her mouth, as she stood there, unmoving.

Elerrina felt her heart stop beating. She did not know how to react, what to do, and she simply stared back, her own eyes wide with surprise. The sound of light footsteps rushing down the corridor reached her ears, but the Princess of Mirkwood did not move as the Crown Prince stepped behind her.

Arahaelon's green eyes were fixed on Lossenel, narrowed in concern, and she had the feeling he had been following his sister. His impenetrable green eyes quickly found Elerrina, and they darted back and forth in between her and Lossenel, almost expecting for one of them to react.

Elerrina's eyes travelled from Arahaelon to Lossenel, confused, shocked, not knowing what to do. The snowy Princess had not yet moved, not even blinked, as if her body had turned into ice.

A fragment of a second later two more figures appeared on the doorway, piling behind Arahaelon and Lossenel. Her eyes quickly recognized Legolas, and she felt her heart almost start to beat again at his presence. His eyes immediately fell on hers, and he offered her a broad smile.

The other elf, she has never seen before. Light blue eyes, the same shape and color of Legolas and King Thranduil's were fixed on Lossenel, the worried expression in them mirroring the one in Arahaelon's eyes. Instead of the light blond color that Arahaelon and Legolas shared, his hair was golden, the same shade of her own locks. His face was handsome, just as the faces of all of her siblings, his features equally as delicate and defined.

His eyes found hers, but to her surprise, they did not widen, did not react as he returned his attention to the petrified Lossenel. He had recognized her, she could see it in the clear crystal depths of his infinite blue eyes, and yet he did not show it, neither his eyes nor face giving away the slightest hint of surprise. Instead, he looked amused, the playful sparkle hidden in his puzzling blue eyes making her instantly like him, wondering at what was going through his head at that moment.

"Lossenel" Arahelon's voice made Elerrina's eyes turn again to look in his direction. One of his hands rested lightly on the Princess' shoulder, his voice gentle, careful.

Without a warning, Lossenel's ice green-blue eyes filled with tears and her small, delicate frame started to shake slightly. Panic took over Elerrina, but she could not yet move, frozen in place as the silvery tears started to roll down Lossenel's cheeks, one after the other, like crystal streams over her snowy skin. A chocked sob broke through her lips, one pale hand brushing away the tears from her face, but to no avail. She was shaking violently now, all composure completely gone, and Elerrina watched in shock as her hands flew up to cover her face and her knees gave out under her, her shaking body crumbling to the marble floor.

The Crown Prince reacted fast, his elven reflexes catching his sobbing sister as she collapsed towards the floor, almost carrying her as her knees suddenly seemed too weak to support her. Lossenel, however, pushed him away, her frail arms hitting him with all force she had, struggling to be freed. Uncontrolled sobs wracked her body, making her gasp for breath as she kept hysterically fighting the Crown Prince's strong hold.

"Lossie, breathe." She heard Arahelon whisper as his hold on the Princess tightened, but she was not sure Lossenel had heard him. She kept pushing and hitting, gasping for air in between sobs. She was a complete mess.

Suddenly, something in Lossenel's reaction, something in her hysteric crying, in her sudden loss of all control over her emotions felt incredibly familiar to Elerrina. Her own green eyes stared in shock, her body frozen, as she recognized her own behavior reflected in the Princess of Mirkwood. She herself had reacted the same way. She had lost all of her control, had sobbed in hysterics, had thrown blows at Elladan.

The other sibling she had not yet met, Tadion as she already knew his name to be, had moved forward, quickly helping Arahaelon in trying to calm down their sister. She could hear them saying something in elvish, but Lossenel did not seem to be listening. Suddenly, the gorgeous Princess did not seem so strange and distant to her, and she felt her heart beat with sympathy at the sobbing Lady. Even if they looked nothing alike, her familiar reaction told Elerrina they could not be that much different from one another.

Elerrina had almost not even noticed that Legolas had walked to stand next to her. All of her attention seemed to be imbedded in the crying Princess, each one of her sobs tearing her heart like a cold dagger. There was so much pain, so much sorrow and agony in the sound, and somehow she felt guilty for it.

Lossenel's frantic arms had finally lost their will to fight, choosing instead to wrap tightly around the Crown Prince's neck, her fingers gripping at his tunic and hair. Uncontrolled sobs continued to escape her mouth, her face now buried in Arahaelon's chest. Elerrina watched in silence as Tadion let go of his sister, and the Crown Prince easily picked her shaking body in his arms, her weight seeming to be insignificant to his strong arms.

Her green eyes followed the Crown Prince as he gently carried his sister to the couch, setting her thin body on his lap. Lossenel did not let go of him, her face hidden against his shoulder, her back towards everyone else. Elerrina could not move, her body completely separated from her mind, and she felt as if she was an extra piece in a puzzle, one that had been erroneously placed in the wrong spot.

Tadion lifted his head, his clear blue eyes meeting hers, holding her in a steady, penetrating gaze. Somehow, his eyes did not seem to pierce her like the Elven King or Arahaelon's had. They were open, carefree and unguarded, making it incredibly comfortable to hold his vivid gaze. His eyes held no surprise, no shock whatsoever, and his handsome face remained relaxed. By the looks of it, he could have been told the weather report, and not that he suddenly had a new sister who, until now, was believed to be dead.

To her surprise, he walked towards her, so casually, as if it was merely a common routine. She remained frozen, unable to predict any of his actions, puzzled at his behavior, completely opposite to that of his sister. He moved incredibly gracefully, like all of her siblings, his steps seeming to not touched the floor as he walked. The golden haired Prince stopped right in front of her, appeased blue eyes studying her face closely.

"Forgive me if I do not know what I am doing, but I have never introduced myself to someone who is my sister. I can honestly say this is a new situation for me." His voice was musical, the tone honest and transparent, perfectly matching his unguarded clear blue eyes.

"I can honestly say the same for me." Whether it had been the comfortable and welcoming sparkle in his clear blue eyes, or the tranquil sound of his voice what gave her the courage to speak, she did not know.

Equally as unpredictable as all of his previous actions, his lips curved up in a wide smile, lighting up his handsome face. He was taller than her and she had to look up in order to gaze into his eyes. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see The Crown Prince's watchful green eyes observing them, Lossenel still perched to him. Tadion's clear blue eyes narrowed as he tilted his head slightly to the side, seeming to be analyzing her, a playful sparkle in his vivid eyes.

"You are not as I imagined you would be." He muttered, whether to himself or to her she could not tell. She raised an eyebrow at his words, not really understanding what he meant. Was that supposed to be good or bad? He did not know her yet.

"Well, neither are you." She replied, her voice as calmed and polite as his, but she knew that her confusion and surprise was clearly visible inside her green eyes.

Much to her surprise, a musical laugh escaped his lips, leaving her even more puzzled than before. The sound of his laugh was so tranquilizing, making her tense body completely relax feeling comfortable around him, even though she did not know him at all.

"Well, I…I do not know what else to say. My name is Tadion? " He seemed to be at as much loss as her at the situation, and suddenly she felt sympathy for him. It was now her turn to smile, as she understood that she was not the only one facing something new.

"Are you asking me?" She said, chuckling slightly at his confused expression. He was making an effort, she had to give him credit for that. He seemed surprised by her question, opening his mouth to say something but closing it back, clear blue eyes narrowed.

"No. I am telling you." Another laugh escaped his lips, the sound so calming, so melodic. Then he narrowed his eyes at her, a mocking gleam sparkling in his sapphire eyes. "I am trying. Help me, please."

This time it was Elerrina the one who laughed. In truth she also did not know what to say to him, and he seemed so unpredictable. The situation itself, and his confused and clueless expression made her laugh even more. What could she ask or say to continue this overly strange conversation? She already liked him.

"Do you want me to tell you my name?" She did not know why she asked that. She guessed that she was simply rambling now, her nerves and confusion making her speak without really thinking.

"I already know your name! That is about the only thing I know." He laughed again, still completely lost. He stooped for a moment trying to think of what else to say. This had to be the most hilarious conversation she had ever had.

A different laugh echoed through the room, very soft, making both Elerrina and Tadion turn their heads in the direction of Arahelon. The Crown Prince's eyes looked incredibly amused as he shook his head slightly, eyes openly mocking his brother.

"I do not see you trying, Ar." Tadion snapped in a low voice, although his smile remained present in his face as he turned again to face her. Then, his eyes sparkled vividly again, as if a new thought had just crossed his mind.

"That is Arahaelon, my…forgive me, _our_ eldest brother." He said as he motioned to the Crown Prince with one graceful movement of his hand. "Lossenel is the one with him, she was born second. Then me, and then…"

He stopped and turned to look at Legolas standing next to her, his eyes suddenly narrowing at his youngest brother. Legolas looked as if he was having the best time of his life as he watched his older brother trying to introduce her to each and every one of her siblings. Then his clear blue eyes turned to meet hers again, sparkling with a new realization, his expression as if he had just found out someone had been playing a prank on him for a long time.

"You already know Legolas, do you not?" He phrased it as a question, but the tone was more of a statement, his smile still present on his face. Elerrina felt her own lips curve up as she nodded her head in reply.

"You could have been more helpful if you already know her, do you not think so?" Tadion said suddenly to Legolas, his tone accusing, but his eyes sparkled teasingly. Legolas shrugged, but a wide grin appeared on his lips as he did.

"And lose the chance to see you as clueless are you look now?"

"Oh, get out of here!" Tadion snapped at Legolas, although a wide grin also appeared on his face, mirroring the one of his youngest brother. "You are enjoying this far too much."

Elerrina let out another laugh. She did not know what to make of the situation anymore. Lossenel was still sobbing uncontrollably, her arms holding to Arahaelon's neck; Tadion was openly talking, smiling at a loss of what to say, trying to make a conversation out of basically nothing; The Crown Prince simply observed them, looking so serene, so noble and thoughtful, although his arms kept comforting his pained sister; and Legolas…Legolas was simply enjoying being the only one for which the situation was not in the slightest bit awkward.

Tadion's eyes turned again to meet hers, and this time she could see they were as deep as clear oceans, looking serious and honest, the playful smirk vanished.

"I really do not know how to do this, but I guess that I will have to learn how to be your brother. I do not know anything about you, and I really do not know what else to say." His eyes were welcoming, almost apologetic. "I have to go now, but feel free to talk to me anytime you want. You do not have to like me, but I would like to at least say that I know my sister."

He offered her a small smile, and she smiled in return, his words dancing inside her head. She did not know him yet, but she would enjoy getting to know him. It would not be easy to feel like she was his sister, but at least he wanted for it to be that way. Silently he turned around to leave, but she stopped him, one hand grabbing to his arm before she had even realized it.

"Tadion" He turned around again, his face still calmed and unguarded, eyes waiting expectantly. She had not even thought of what to say, and felt the first thought that crossed her mind slip through her mouth. "I like strawberries."

His lips curved up in a grin, which reflected in his clear blue eyes, a small laugh escaping his lips.

"Thank you." He said in between his laugh, his eyes meeting hers once more before he turned around and walked towards the opened door. She watched him stop in front of the couch upon which Arahaelon sat, a crying Lossenel cradled in his lap.

"Lossie" She heard him whisper softly, one of his hands gently touching the stunning Princess' shoulder. Lossenel lifted her head slowly, her long platinum hair framing her delicate face like curtains of silk, the tiny aquamarines braided in it sparkling as she moved.

Tadion whispered something in elvish to her, his voice incredibly soft and she saw the snowy elven Lady slowly untie her arms from around Arahaelon's neck. She accepted Tadion's extended hand, and he pulled up to stand, one hand circling over her shoulders.

Lossenel's eyes turned to look in her direction, ice green-blue irises shimmering darkly behind transparent tears. The gaze made her chest constrict, there was much pain tainting the pure green-blue color, the light that had shone in them hours ago completely gone.

"Sorry" Lossenel's lips mouthed, but no sound came from her lips. Her eyes stared at her apologetically as new tears rolled down her wet cheeks. With that, she turned her face away, allowing Tadion to gently lead out of the room. Elerrina stood there, her eyes still fixed on the door through which her two siblings had disappeared, the fresh image of Lossenel's pained green-blue eyes still inside her head.

She saw the Arahaelon stand up from his place at the couch, his movements as graceful and effortless as ever. His deep, serene green eyes found hers, and he simply stared at her for a moment, neither of them moving. He looked so calmed and at the same time so royal, she could hardly look at him without being reminded that he was the Crown Prince of Mirkwood.

Slowly, he walked towards her, stopping right in front of her, tall and regal. His gentle, yet powerful green eyes continued to stare at hers, their color the same exact shade as her own irises. That seemed to be the only thing that helped her believe that this Prince in front of her was related to her by blood. He just seemed so noble, so honorable, and so much older than her, even if she still ignored his age.

"Forgive Lossenel. Your presence has resurfaced painful memories for her. She does love you, and she wants to be your sister, just give her some time."

His voice was so peaceful that it seemed able to command nature into silencing as he spoke. He smiled gently at her, his green eyes once again unreadable, a pool of emotions resting unreachable behind impenetrable bright emeralds. Elerrina simply nodded her head in silence.

"You knew who I was" She whispered, not knowing from where she got the courage to speak.

"Yes" He confirmed, his eyes staring into hers, so deep and yet so impenetrable, the soft smile still on his lips. "I clearly remember your eyes. It is impossible to not recognize them."

His voice was low, and for a moment Elerrina did not know what to ad, his words still echoing in her ears.

"Have you known all this time?" Her own voice had lowered, almost inaudible even to elven ears. For a moment, she doubted whether or not she should have asked him that, but her need to know overpowered her.

"No." He answered, his voice equally as low. "None of us did. But I never really believed you were truly dead. Although I must admit I though I would never see you again."

"Do you.." She hesitated for a moment, gathering all of her courage to pronounce the question. "Do you know why I was sent away? Why could I not have stayed here?"

"I was never told." His answer was short, but she could see the truth of his words in his eyes. She nodded her head, deciding not to ask more. He could not tell her what she wanted to know, and if the Crown Prince did not know, then neither could all of her other siblings. She let her eyes fall to the floor in defeat.

"You could do things…" He said suddenly, making her head snap back up at his whispered, slow voice. Her eyes were instantly met by a pair of serene, cautions yet gentle green eyes. "You could_ feel_ things, and we did not know what they were….things did not have a material presence…"

The Crown Prince shook his head, as if dismissing what he had just said.

"I do not know" he added. "I am sorry. That is all I know."

She nodded her head again, forcing a small smile in thanks. He smiled apologetically in return, and one of his hands travelled to rest over her shoulder lightly, as if he doubted whether or not to touch her.

"I do not remember anything." She whispered as she turned her eyes to look back into his, searching for an answer behind his unreadable emerald irises. "I do not remember any of you. You all seem to remember me, and I wish I could say the same about you. I do not know how to be the sister you all remember me to be. What I remember is that I never had siblings. You all know each other, and I do not know any of you."

"I know" He said sympathetically, and now more than ever, the hand on her shoulder felt like the best comfort she could receive. "But that did not happen in one day. We have lived years together. This is only a start. In time, you will get to know each and every one of us, as I hope we will get to know you. You already know Legolas, and I am sure there are many things you can say about him. Just give it time."

She lowered her gaze again, nodding her head in silence. Everything was so overwhelming, there were so many things to know, so many things to remember. She felt his slender fingers lift her chin and she looked back up into his eyes.

"I like strawberries too." A true smile broke through her lips at his words, suddenly feeling that maybe this high-ranking elf in front of her could one day feel like the older brother he was.

"No w, I think you should go see Elladan Elrondion before he loses his head."

Her eyes automatically widened, unable to hide her shock and surprise, and his face lighted in a teasing smirk. She opened her mouth, but felt too stunned to speak coherently.

"Wha…how?" Was all she managed to say. A light chuckles escaped his lips ,and she could hear Legolas' laughter next to her.

"I am not an elfling, Almarëa. I have known the twins since they were born, and I can tell that Elladan has never looked at a maiden the way he was looking at you this afternoon."

She lowered her eyes guiltily, unable to hide the grin from her face. She did not know if to be terrified or relieved that Arahaelon knew what Elladan felt for her, or what she felt for him. He seemed to be able to read through her eyes for he continued to speak.

"I will not tell. Although I might ad that it results pretty obvious. He is a good elf. I am sure nobody in the Greenwood will object against him, and if I had to choose someone for any of my sisters, I would choose one of the twins."

She lifted her head, allowing herself to look into his eyes once more. He was smiling softly at her, although his gently smile suddenly turned into a wide grin, resembling the look she had seen in Tadion's face.

"But remember that to my eyes, you are still my baby sister whom I just met, so he should keep that in mind." He warned before offering one last smile and turning towards the door. Just as he reached the beautifully crafted door, he turned around and added "And I do not think it is wise to tell Tadion just yet."

With that he smiled again and left the room, Legolas' laughter still ringing in her ears. She turned around to face him, still slightly stunned at Arahaelon's words. Her brother's infinite blue eyes met hers instantly, and she once again felt the familiar comfort of his stare, the only one of her siblings who felt like a real brother at the moment.

"Did you tell him?" She accused, narrowing her eyes as he laughed louder.

"No." He said in between chuckles. "I swear I did not say anything."

Elerrina tried to glare at him, but failed miserably. She felt so relieved to be alone with her brother. She enjoyed meeting all of her siblings, and desperately longed to know them personally, to talk to them all day and night, but at the moment, she liked being only with Legolas.

"How do you like your chambers?" He asked, his wide smile reaching his gleaming eyes.

"I love it." She said, not even bothering to look away from his infinite irises. "How did the family meeting go?"

She had wanted to know the answer to that, but had not had the courage to ask any of her other siblings about it. Everything had seemed so strange and confusing. Legolas simply shrugged, his smile fading lightly form his face.

"You saw how it went." He said, letting out a sigh. "Ada had not even finished speaking when Lossenel left the family wing. Arahaelon followed her, as expected, and then Tadion…and you know the rest."

Elerrina nodded her head, only grateful that she had not been in the same room while the news were delivered to her siblings. The word Ada danced inside her head. It was her Ada too, but if felt strange to think about him that way. She had heard Elladan and Elrohir call Lord Elrond that way many times before, it felt incredibly strange that now she had someone to call by that name.

"Legolas, would you show me to Elladan's chambers?" She asked, smiling widely at his almost reluctant expression. Elladan must be awake by then, or at least she hoped so. She already knew where his chambers were, but she did not want to tell Legolas she had been there yet.

"Not even at home I get you to myself" He complained, although his smile told her that he would willingly walk her to the elder twin's chamber.

The walk was short, but it seemed extremely long for Elerrina. She longed to see Elladan, longed to be held in his loving embrace that could make her feel at home even in this strange palace. It only took them a couple of minutes to reach the familiar wooden door, and Legolas motioned for her to go in, indicating that he had no intention in entering with a movement of his hand.

"I will see you at dinner." He said with a smile as he turned around and walked down the long hall.

Elerrina did not follow him with her eyes, not thinking it twice before gently opening the wooden door and stepping inside the room. The door closed softly behind her, and she let her eyes travel to the bed in the center of the room, where she knew she would find what her heart looked for.

A fire had been lit on the fireplace, its flames bathing the room in different shades of orange, warming the space against the cold temperature outside. Elladan lay on the bed, not having moved an inch since the last time she had seen him. She saw him stir lightly at the sound of the door clicking closed, sleepy silver eyes fluttering open slowly.

"Rina?" He whispered as he blinked a couple of time, his eyes adjusting to the light. She felt her heart melt at the sound of his voice calling her by that name and her smile widened, her feet quickly walking towards the large bed. Silver eyes followed her every move, a gorgeous smile drawing in his handsome face.

Elladan moved aside on the large bed, one hand griping at the soft pale covers, pulling them open for her. She accepted the invitation, gladly slipping next to him on the bed, her heart beating lovingly at his close presence. He pulled the covers over her, rolling to his side as both of his strong arms wrapped around her small waist, her back pressed to his chest.

"How are you?" He asked, his lip brushing her ears as he spoke, his arms tightening their hold on her.

"I am fine" She answered, her voice only a whisper, as if she felt that speaking louder than that would ruin her moment with him. "I met everyone."

She felt his lips move to the side of her neck, pressing a light kiss there before resting his chin lightly on her collarbone, his head perfectly fitting next to hers. She felt slight shivers run down her body as he nuzzled his nose against the skin of her neck.

"And how was that?" He whispered in her ear as he placed yet another kiss to the side of her neck, making her squeal lightly at the tickling sensation.

She rolled in his arms, turning to face him and he shifted his hold on her, his arms wrapping securely at her back. She looked into his eyes, those deep pools of liquid silver that remained so open, so welcoming to her. Every emotion, every thought was completely visible to her, allowing her to look into him in the same way he could look into her. She closed the small gap between them and kissed him lightly on the lips before answering.

"It was strange, but it was all right." She said honestly, not looking away from his liquid silver eyes. Those eyes were the center of her attention, the only pair of eyes that could make anything feel all right again, that could make her really know that was no place in Arda she would rather be that next to him.

"Did you meet the King?" He asked as one of his hands gently brushed a strand of golden hair form her face before returning to around her waist.

She let out a small chuckle at his question, remembering how her first meeting with the Elven King had gone, and she buried her face against his chest, almost feeling his skin underneath the light silk of his sleeping tunic. She felt one of his hands toying absently with the ends of her long hair as he chuckled at her reaction to his question.

"Why is it funny?" He asked softly, clearly amused. "Was it bad?"

"Do you know what I did?" She answered as she lifted her head to look into his eyes, tentatively brushing her lips against his. His silver eyes narrowed at her, one eyebrow raised.

"What?" He asked as he gave in and pressed his lips to hers, his arms tightening around her, pressing her closer.

"I cried." She admitted in an almost reluctant tone. His melodic laughter filled the room, the sound the sweetest she had ever heard.

"Do not laugh!" She complained, but she found it impossible to suppress her own laughter.

He rolled onto his back, and she rested her head on his chest, one of his hands stroking her hair lovingly. She did not ad more to the subject and he did not press her, seeming to understand that she wanted an escape from family situations.

"How are _you_?" She asked him, lifting her head slightly so that she could see in his eyes. Liquid silver eyes stared into hers, welcoming her into their endless depths, making her feel incredibly safe and loved. He seemed to consider his answer before speaking, and when he did his silver eyes looked so honest and transparent she knew he was telling the complete truth.

"Much better"

She smiled at his words, letting her hand caress his cheek softly. One of his hands caught hers, moving it from his cheek to his lips before gently placing a kiss on her knuckles. He did not let go of her hand, and instead entwined his fingers around hers.

"Are you still in pain?" She asked as her concerned eyes turned to look into his once more.

"No" he reassured her, offering her one of his gorgeous smiles. She smiled in return, letting her whole self free fall into his endless silver eyes. Whether he was lying or telling the truth, she could not tell, but she knew that if the pain had been bad he would have confided in her.

"How do you like the palace?" She asked, only managing for another musical laugh to escape his lips.

"I have been here many times before, Rina." He said between chuckles, placing a kiss atop her head.

"Of course." She muttered, more to herself than to him, only now remembering that the palace was only new to her.

She felt silent for a moment, simply enjoying lying close to him, feeling his hand softly stroking her hair. Her head continued to rise and fall with his chest as breathed, and she let one of her fingers gently trace the embroidery of his sleeping tunic.

"Is it still Elerrina? Or is it Almarëa now" She turned her head up at the sound of his voice, her eyes staring into his expectant silver ones.

"To everyone here, it is Almarëa. That is my official birth name. But I am still Elerrina, and I will always be. You can call me by whichever name you prefer." His silver eyes gazed into hers, trapping her in his endless stare, so deep, so loving.

"You are my Rina." He said as he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers in a deep kiss. Her heart melted at the sound of his voice calling her that. _His _Rina. She did not care who called her Elerrina, did not care who called her Almarëa, for all she cared they could even come up with a third name for her and she would also no care, as long as she remained his Rina.

She felt his hand sliding down the curve of her waist as he kissed her, stopping to rest at her hip, pressing her body close to his. She could feel her own arms tangling around his neck, playing with his long dark hair as they broke apart. His hands remained at her hips, applying small pressure there as he stared into her eyes. A breathtaking mixture of love and lust sparkled his liquid silver irises, but she knew he would not go further than kissing.

"Dan?" She whispered in a low voice as she pulled away from him and rose to sit on the bed, her eyes turning to look vacantly at the front. Immediately, she felt him sit up too, quickly catching the change in her mood.

"What is it?" His soft musical voice was now filled with concern, and she felt him rest his hand over hers, slender fingers curling around hers.

She turned her head to look into his eyes , only to find his liquid silver irises filled with worry, as if trying to decipher what had caused the change in her mood. She let her eyes fall to the covers, not able to look into his eyes as she voiced the question that plagues her mind.

"You will have to return to Imladris, will you not?" Her whispered voice hung in the air for a moment, as he remained silent. His hand gave hers a gently squeeze, but his lack of immediate answer told her that he simply did not want to say the answer she did not want to hear.

She knew he would eventually need to return o his realm. He had duties there; he had his people there. And this time, she would not be returning with him. She no longer lacked a place to belong, was no longer able to simply follow him wherever he went. Her duties now lay here, in Mirkwood.

"Yes" His voice had dropped when he finally answered, and she lifted her eyes to meet his. Deep silver eyes stared deeply into hers, tainted with sadness and pain, and she knew that her own eyes looked the same. He wrapped his arms around her, gently pulling her against his chest, and she let him do it, her head resting in the crook of his neck.

"But that will not happen today" He whispered in her ear. "Nor tomorrow. I will stay as long as possible."

"Will you come back to visit?" She asked in soft voice as his hand gently stroked her golden hair.

"Every chance I get." She placed a light kiss to his neck as she shifted her head until she was comfortable.

"I love you, Rina" He whispered softly, sending shivers down her spine as his lips brushed her ear.

"I love you too." She answered without having to think the words before they freely and willingly slipped through her lips.

She was very well aware that he would not remain in Mirkwood forever, but that seemed far away. Right now, she was here with him, safely held in his arms, and that was all that mattered.

Suddenly, the door opened and she lifted her eyes just in time to see Elrohir enter through it, closing it behind him. A mocking grin adorned the younger twin's face as he stared at them with a raised eyebrow, taking in the way in which Elladan held her securely against him.

"You _do_ know dear brother that had I been Tadion you would have few seconds to live?"

"I knew it was you." Elladan commented as he let out a chuckle, and Elrohir's grin only widened in his face.

"Good evening, Rina." He greeted her.

"Good evening to you too, Elrohir." She said with a wide smile. She would also sorely miss the younger twin once they left. She watched Elrohir walk to the large wooden wardrobe in the room and take out a clean light grey tunic. Then he threw at his twin, who caught it with perfect reflexes.

"Put it on and let us go outside." Elladan raised a questioning eyebrow at his mirror image, but did not say anything as he changed his light, sleeping tunic for the light grey one Elrohir had handed him.

"Why outside? It is dark already." She asked, her eyes looking directly at Elrohir. The younger twin looked amused as his sparkling kind silver eyes darted from her to Elladan.

"Have you not looked outside?" Elerrina simply shook her head, not really understanding the bewilderment in Elrohir's voice.

"What were you two doing then?" The younger twin's eyes narrowed teasingly as his grin widened, his mischievous silver eyes piercing those of his twin. A soft pillow flew through the air, Elrohir dodging it narrowly as he let out a soft laugh.

Her eyes followed Elrohir as he walked towards the window, pulling open the fine, heavy curtains. Immediately a smile appeared on her lips and she rose from the bed to get closer to the window. Tiny white snowflakes danced down towards the ground, swirling weightlessly one around the other before sticking to the already whitening ground below. A thin layer of white already covered the previously green grass, and she could already see elves starting to gather in the gardens, elflings joining them to play in the falling snow. It looked so beautiful, and yet so strange. The forest remained as green as before, but the temperature was as low as it had been in Imladris, even snow was falling. Mirkwood had green trees even in the winter.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elrohir take out two thick dark blue cloaks, handing one to his twin. She quickly returned to where Elladan sat on the bed, unable to hide a grin from her face. She had seen snow many times before, and yet it never ceased surprise her. Elladan laughed lightly at her, although she could see the same excitement sparkling in his silver eyes. He swung his legs over the edge of the mattress, and Elrohir pulled him up to stand. She stood at his right side, curling her arm around his right arm, discretely allowing him to lean lightly on her as they walked out of the room. Elladan's limp was almost unnoticeable, and she was sure that none of the elves they passed by were able to tell.

It did not take them long to reach the large terrace that led to the vast gardens ahead. They walked right into the snow, stopping under the swirling tiny flakes as they danced around them, sticking to her dress, hair and skin. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see some elves only a couple of feet away, already throwing the little snow that yet covered the grass to each other.

"Does it ever snow in Imladris?" She asked Elladan, a wide smile on her face as she stared into his liquid silver eyes, tiny white snowflakes sticking to his dark lashes.

"Yes" he said with a light laugh, as his hand brushed away a snowflake that had landed on her nose.

"Elladan! Elrohir!" The three of them turned around at the voice, only to find Tadion jogging in their direction, a wide grin on his face. Her eyes caught the figures of Arahaelon and Legolas some feet away, the older brother throwing a large snowball to the younger, and quickly ducking the one aimed at him. Tadion reached Elrohir first, saying some words in elvish as he patted his shoulder before turning to greet the elder twin.

"I heard your count was in a negative number this time? Care to explain?" Tadion's voice was teasing as his clear blue eyes openly mocked Elladan. By the casual tone he used and the grin in his face, Elerrina could easily tell that they had known each other for a long time and were already good friends.

"I will make sure your count ends up negative the next time _you_ are the one injured, Tadion." Elladan's silver eyes narrowed, although he could not suppress his grin from showing. Elrohir's musical laughed reached her ears, and Tadion joined him only a second after.

She saw Tadion's clear blue eyes travel to the spot in which her arm was safely entwined with Elladan's. His eyes quickly rose to meet the elder twin's silver pair, one eyebrow raised in questioning.

"Elladan, a word please." His voice was serious, but his smile remained on his face, his clear blue eyes completely unreadable. She saw Elrohir pat his twin's shoulder in sympathy, a chuckle escaping his lips as he walked to where the Crown Prince stood.

She opened her mouth to say something, but only a surprised squeal left her lips as she was suddenly lifted from her feet by a pair of strong arms, easily swinging her over a shoulder. A familiar laugh accompanied the motion, and she immediately recognized Legolas' light blond hair as he carried her away in rushed steps, taking her to the spot in which Elrohir and Arahaelon were now throwing snow at each other. She saw Tadion's mouth moving as he said something to Elladan, but she could no longer hear them, and instead she turned her head to face at front, joining in Legolas' laughter.

He lowered her to the snow, and before she had time to stand straight, a fresh handful of snow hit the side of her face, making Legolas' laughter to rise in volume. She turned around in time to see Arahaelon grinning at her, a guilty sparkle gleaming in his green eyes. She quickly took her hand to the ground, grabbing a handful of the soft snow, but before she could throw it, another handful of snow splashed the other side of her face, making her drop her own snowball. She turned quickly in the direction in which it had come, only to find Elrohir's silver eyes mocking her.

She grabbed another handful, this time debating whether to throw it to Elrohir or Arahaelon. However, she seemed to take a second too long in making her mind, for another fresh amount of snow hit her face, this time coming from Legolas' direction. She noticed that the three elves had made a triangle, and she was standing exactly in the middle of it, being their shared target. She could not help but laugh, continuing to throw snow all around her, as more and more snow hit her face in return.

In between the splashes of white snow that hit her face, she caught sight of Elladan and Tadion joining them, the two of them quickly finding a spot in the loose circle around her, also making her their target.

"This is unfair!" She complained laughing as yet another handful of snow hit her shoulder. Acting quickly, she ran and stopped behind Legolas, grabbing him by the shoulders. All of the snow aimed at her fell on him as she used him a shield. He tried to get away from her hold, but she did not let go, ducking behind his tall figure.

She saw Arahaelon rush towards them, pushing Legolas into the middle of the loose circle. Instantly, all the other elves started aiming the snow at him, officially declaring him the new target.

Laughing, she made her way to where Elladan stood, wrapping both of her arms around his neck as he dropped the snow he was holding and circled his own arms around her waist. His dark hair was covered in tiny white snowflakes and his cheeks and lips were flushed red by the cold as he smiled widely at her.

"What did he tell you?" She asked in a voice only audible to his ears. He let out a chuckle before answering.

"I will live." Was all he answered, still smiling at her. By the way in which his hold tightened around her waist, she could tell that Tadion had not really disapproved of their relationship. Just at that moment, a fresh handful of snow hit Elladan's cheek, making him quickly turn his head in the direction in which it had come.

"That is what happens when you are distracted, Elrondion." She heard Tadion's voice yelling from the distance, instantly knowing who had been the one that had thrown the snow. Elladan let out a musical laugh, quickly placing a kiss to her cheek before ducking to get some more snow to throw.

Elerrina did not continue their game. Her eyes had caught two more figures suddenly coming out through the large terrace, some feet away from them. Even in the distance, she could easily recognize the unmistakable form of the Elven King, one arm over Lossenel's shoulders. Another tall blond elf followed them, the formal robes he wore telling her that it was probably one of the chief advisors or counselors.

The Elven King's eyes turned in their direction, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he gazed over each and every one of his children. Without even realizing what she was doing, Elerrina found her feet already walking slowly in the direction of the terrace, the soft snow crunching under her light footsteps.

Lossenel's eyes met hers, ice green-blue irises staring at her gently, so deep, so peaceful and tender, like the kind waters of a crystalline pond. There was no trace of the tears that had run over her snowy face, and her expression remained unreadable, simply staring. Elerrina did not know from where she got the courage, but before she could realize it, she had already climbed the few steps that led to the terrace, stopping right in front of the gorgeous Princess.

"Will you join us?" She was surprised by the sound of her own voice, so steady and sure.

Slowly, a smile appeared on the Princess' face, reaching the crystal gleam in her ice colored eyes. The next thing she knew, she was being pulled into a tight embrace, Lossenel's delicate arms wrapping around her shoulders. She froze, surprised for a moment, but then wrapped her arms around her in return.

"Of course." She heard Lossenel answer, her voice as melodic and enchanting as her whole image. She still did not know this elven Lady, still did not know if they would get along well, if she would eventually feel like her sister, but at least she knew that the snowy Princess would be willing to try.

Lossenel pulled away from her, her lips curving up in a gorgeous light smile. Light footstpes to her right made Elerrina turn her head, and she noticed Arahaelon standing there. She could still see the twins throwing snow at Tadion and Legolas, who also threw snow in return.

In one swift motion, she saw Arahaelon pick up Lossenel, throwing her over his shoulder, much in the same way Legolas had done with her. She heard the snowy Princess protest in elvish, fighting in vain against her brother's strong grip, a smile on her face. She watched the Crown Prince carry his sister to where the others were still throwing snow, slowly following behind him, unable to contain her smile at the sight. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the Elven King smiling, moving to sit on one of the long chaises that adorned the terrace, the other blond elf joining him.

Arahaelon placed Lossenel lightly on the snow, his arms pinning her down in place as she tried to run away. Instantly, balls of snow started to clash on her, spraying over her platinum hair, face, dress and arms. Elerrina reached their spot, choosing to stand beside Elladan as they continued to throw snow at Lossenel.

Finally, Lossenel managed to break free from the Crown Prince's grasp, dashing to hide behind Tadion. However, Tadion escaped her grip, quickly moving away form her as she squealed when yet another handful of snow hit her cheek. Her brothers were giving her no chance, no matter where she ran to, they continued to chase her, throwing more snow in her direction. Elladan and Elrohir joined in their game, and Elerrina imitated them, staying close to Elladan wherever he moved.

Lossenel kept running round, desperately trying to escape. Laughter escaped her lips like wind chimes, the sound floating in the air, dancing along the falling snow. The game had clearly turned into a chase, all of them moving deeper and deeper into the gardens, moving agilely in between the thick trees as they followed the Princess.

Elerrina moved beside Elladan, helping him lightly as he limped, trying not to trip on the many roots that emerged from the ground. Every tree was covered in a thin layer of white, beautifully adorning their green color, the silver light of the moon bouncing on the snow, making it glitter under the stars. She could no longer see the terrace, or the palace behind them. They were very deep into the immense gardens that resembled more of a wild growing forest than a real garden.

The figures of her siblings kept appearing and disappearing between the trees, an occasional laughter giving away their position. Everyone seemed to be hiding and running through the forest, whoever was seen receiving a snowball to his or her face as consequence. She stayed close to Elladan, moving swiftly through the forest, trying to surprise any of the elves without being the ones surprised.

A ball of snow his her face suddenly, and she turned just in time to see light blond hair disappearing through the vegetation. She could not tell which of her brothers had caught her, but before she could stop to think about it, she felt Elladan pull her to hind behind a thick tree trunk. He was laughing silently as he pressed her body against him, his back tightly against the green tree truck, covered in moss and other plants. Every now and then she could hear movement through the forest, where her siblings and Elrohir kept moving around, throwing snow and then quickly hiding before being caught. Elladan stuck out his face and inch to look, but quickly hid it as another handful of snow flew past the tree, missing him narrowly.

She laughed in silence at him, letting her curious eyes explore the forest all around her. For a moment, she lost her concentration on the snow fight that was going around her, her sense only focusing on the thick green forest. The trees extended tall to the black night sky, their branches creating a heavy green canopy above their heads. Frail dashed of pale moonlight filtered through the leaves, creating thin, defined lines on light.

She immediately recognized the place. She had been here before. Her hand travelled to touch the thick tree trunk behind which she was hiding, her fingers slowly feeling over the irregular, mossy wood. It felt strange, and at the same time comforting, to feel the texture of the tree under her fingers, instead of the blank empty surface that replaced every object inside her dreams. The forest seemed different now; it was the same image from her dreams, but now it had sounds she could hear, it had trees and grass she could touch, it was real.

Her eyes immediately turned to the front, her feet taking some steps ahead. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Elladan quickly following her, silver eyes looking at her with concern, but she did not turn. Think low branches obscured her view ahead, and she moved them aside with a hand, looking deeper into the forest.

There, some distance in front of her ran a small crystalline stream. Parts of it were frozen, but some water kept running under and around the ice. She felt her body freeze in place, her eyes unable to look away. Elladan had stopped next to her, his eyes staring at her, attentive.

She instantly recognized the place, her eyes staring at the stream, lost at the so familiar sight that was finally real before her eyes. Part of her almost expected to see the little elfling appear at the other end of the stream, playing absently with the water, but she knew that no elfling would come this time. For the first time, she was able to hear the soothing sound of the water running, feel the cold breeze against her face, the snowy ground beneath her feet. In truth, she did not know what to think of it, but the familiar sight made a new feeling rise in her. Suddenly she knew that this place had not been a product of her imagination, but a memory, a long forgotten one.

Her thoughts turned to her siblings, who continued to throw snow to each other; to the Elven King, who was her father even if she could barely remember him; to Elladan standing next to her; to Lord Elrond back in Imladris, not knowing what had happened once they left; to the blue stoned ring upon the Elf-Lord's finger and the way in which it whispered to her, the way in which it called her and possessed her; to the Orcs that had been looking for her, who had captured the Elf-Lord and then left him to be rescued, a mystery nobody had yet been able to understand; to the four ghostly riders that searched for Vilya, believing it was her the one who possessed it; to her small village, where she had grown up, ignoring who she really was; to Naeraviel and her large, tender brown eyes as she gently combed her hair; to the image of the beautiful elven Lady lying on the ground, golden hair splattered around her face, empty emerald green eyes staring blankly at the sky…She did not know what would happen now, just she had not known that any of those things that had happened would come to pass, and yet all she knew was there were powerful secrets kept here in Mirkwood, and whatever had really happened when she was a baby, whatever had been the reason to hide her, had to be one of them…

**End of Part 1**

Here is the last chapter for this part of the story! Please let me know what you think! I hope you have enjoyed all of the previous chapters of this story! Thank you to all of you who have read the story, even if you only read one chapter, then it was worth writing it. It was definitely a pleasure

There will be a sequel. It will be called Almarëa, and that is all I can say about it.

Thank you deeply again to those of you who reviewed my latest chapter, I really appreciate your words, they are fantastic: alexiana75, Sovereignty3, sarah, Elf sister, AmazingWriter123, CalathielKat, wonderpanda10, Paperlanterns86, smulderalert, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, Jibril, booklover1598, Martine9295, The Grimreaper PT, the-fox-love, ILoveEomer 3, CeffylGwyn, luckyponygirl, Vtiger5, and ZabuzasGril.

Also, thank you immensely to all those of you who have left a review to any of my chapters, they truly mean a lot!

To all those of you who have favorited the story, thank you, it makes me really happy to know that you like the story this much: , Afspigs, .Smith, .Nicoleta, AmazingWriter123, Artemis Queen of the Night, Aryabloodlust, Become1withSealand, Bella1908, BelleJay, CalathielKat, CannonRebel, Cap3r, CeffylGwyn, Cleopatraa, Coco99, Divathug, EnterThePhoenix, EstelPax, ForbiddenShadow0, GBugg, Harry's Little Sister, Heatherleanne, HinataUchiha825, JJgirl9, Jasperslittlesister, Judy Blue Eyes, Kicki von Berger, KittenEm, Lday Katheryna, LexiStorm99, Lightning of Sentinels, LikeAHuntingPuma, Martine9295, Mashustik, Mercede216, MidnightMasquerade87, MoonyPadfootProngs14, Morthy, Mrs Bass-Malfoy, MyFlutteringWings, NaliaL, Nessa Grey, Oleanne, Paperlanterns86, PeaceLoveUnicorns94, Renzellekers, Rigel 100, SarahWeasley, Serenity Lost, Shadow Ninja, Shar82204, She Elf of Hidden Lore, Shehunter, Sovereignty3, StarDustSonata, Sunshineca07, Szelshari, The All Powerful Genie God, TheGoldenHairedMockingjay, The Grimreaper PT, TheLittlePenguin, TheRegularOne, UnicornzAreReal, UntilTheEveryEnd6, WaffleNinja44904, WeasleyanOboeGirl, WestAnimeBrigade, Who Says It's A Rebellion, ZabuzasGirl, alexiana75, annamorgan96, antaurilover685, bntjammer, booklover1598, brokenguitar76, cullen cult, cwatker222, destructionmage, freedom rigns in a howl, gossipghurl, greves098, heidi jo, hungergamespettalover, jems08, justcasey, kateblueeyes, kaydub, lullabydono, lunatarimoon, lynx44, mark94, mazzmataz, meadowbear, missy-mischief, morgen7, rangergilan, rascal77, saberis, severusfangirl13, shereelouise60, silverdiggergold, smulderalert, sparrow95, . , the-fox-love, the lil witch, theskylightens, tigereyeshb, wonderpanda10, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, yruniwylio, and zfrida1.

Also, thanks to all those of you who followed the story, even if you did right form chapter one, or already by chapter 50. And also thanks to all those of you who have simply read the story, whether you followed it, reviewed it favorite or not, thank you reading it!

I hope this story gave you all a good time!

Love,

Elena


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